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MidAmerica St Louis airport handles US$1.3 million in Xmas blueberries

OFTEN troubled MidAmerica St Louis Airport in Illinois across the Mississippi from St Louis recently handled its largest international air shipment of produce - US$1.3 million in Chilean blueberries - from Michigan-based North Bay Produce Inc.

"North Bay's operations at MidAmerica are key in its overall plans to open the Asian trade lane that is integral to the company's future growth," said the airport statement.

"The shipment of blueberries originated in Santiago, Chile, then flown into MidAmerica by Centurion Cargo on two separate flights, in a 747-400 and on an MD11," the statement said.

"This shipment continues air cargo movements through MidAmerica on the emerging trade lane between the Americas and Asia," said the airport statement.

North Bay Produce has recently expanded at MidAmerica from 36,000 square feet to 53,000 square feet, paving the way for its operations there to handle the larger shipments.

North Bay's facility has been also certified as a cold treatment facility by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which enables the company to store fruit at 32 degrees Fahrenheit for 11 days.

The total load consisted of 113,000 kilogrammes of blueberries and was cleared by Customs and Border Protection officials.

Ground shipments from around North America have been processed through the North Bay Produce facility at MidAmerica within the US, British Columbia and Mexico.

Said North Bay Produce president Mark Girardin: "These blueberries are arriving just in time for retail Christmas promotions throughout the United States and Canada. We would like to thank the team at MidAmerica for their dedication to growth and continued support of our company."

North Bay Produce is an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative. The company's 29 stockholders are located in the United States, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.