October will mark the start of the third year that imports of fresh fruits are permitted to enter the United States through Southern ports. Previously, standards at these ports were not considered to be at the level necessary to meet the protocols that ensure potential pests and diseases that put domestic crops at risk did not enter the U.S.

The pilot program began in Florida at Port Everglades and PortMiami in 2013. Last year, the port of Savannah, GA, began its pilot program for grapes from Brazil, and blueberries, citrus and grapes from Peru, with reported success.

It had been about six decades since fresh produce was permitted to arrive into Southern U.S. ports. Lack of refrigeration that many years ago initiated the movement of these foods to arrive in Northern ports because of the cooler temperatures.

With today’s technology in refrigeration, that is no longer a necessity.

Still, protocols regarding cold storage, U.S. Customs & Border Protection clearance, certifications, brokerage involvement and more had to be worked out before imports of fresh produce could begin to arrive at these ports.

The original pilot program was initiated in effort by the Florida Perishables Trade Coalition, commonly referred to as FPTC, a non-profit association formed in 2012.

The coalition’s founding mission was and remains to focus the collective experience and efforts of industry leaders from throughout Florida to increase trade in perishable products through the state’s airports and seaports.

Nelly Yunta, vice president of Customized Brokers, a licensed brokerage company headquartered in Miami, has been involved in the coalition since its beginning and with its success in getting the pilot program approved.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture  sets regulations on what products come into the country and how,” Yunta stated at the end of the first pilot program. “Some of the products have a higher propensity to have insects and so are restricted from entering at certain ports because they place domestic products at risk.”

The program progressed nicely the first two years, and shippers and receivers look forward to future progression at southern ports.

And the ports are stepping up to the task. Guided by a comprehensive 20-Year Master/Vision Plan, Port Everglades is committed to on-going capital improvements that benefit its customers in the cruise, cargo and petroleum industries. It is embarking on three critical expansion projects that are projected to create 7,000 new jobs regionally and support 135,000 jobs statewide over the next 15 years for a total 143,000 jobs.

Currently, Port Everglades supports 11,700 direct jobs locally for a total of 201,000 jobs statewide. These key expansion projects are expected to be completed over the next six years and will add up to five berths, widen and deepen the channel to 50 feet and bring freight rail into the port.

Port Everglades has rapidly been established as a leading Florida seaport for containersized cargo. It claims to be the perfect hub and point of entry for companies that conduct business in Central America and South America, the Caribbean, Europe and the Far East.

PortMiami has its own new master plan in place, and it charts an ambitious course for future growth. Due to the impressive roster of capital improvement projects cargo traffic is expected to double over the next decade.

Historically, growth at PortMiami and Port Everglades has averaged a modest 1.2 percent annually over the past 10 years. The 20-year containerized growth for these ports, however, has been 5.4 percent.

In June 2015, the Georgia Ports Authority reported setting all-time records for both container volumes and total tonnage in May with strong growth across several key business sectors.

“Strong performances at GPA’s five deepwater terminals, including bulk cargoes and containerized freight, contributed to the growth,” said GPA Executive Director Curtis Foltz in a press release.

GPA Board Chairman James Walters added, “Superior service and unmatched connectivity to inland markets are driving growth at Georgia’s deepwater ports. Our ability to handle expanding cargo volumes — without congestion delays — has set GPA apart in support of farming, retail and manufacturing customers.”

Yunta and her colleagues at FPTC continue to focus the collective experience and efforts of industry leaders. Members of the industry are invited to join the FPTC to help shape, direct and fund its efforts, to grow perishable trade in Florida ports by addressing the cold treatment issues, reviving perishable logistics workshops, and undertaking new initiatives identified by FPTC members as needed to make agricultural trade grow and prosper in Florida ports.

More information is available at www.customizedbrokers.net/Founding-Member-Florida-Perishables-Trade-Coalition.