BIG interview: Novafruit on Asia transit delays, airfreight shifts and rising Italian costs

Italian importer and distributor Novafruit manages fruit supply programmes, sourcing from Italy as well as from other origins including Spain, North and South America and South Africa. The company coordinates shipments to both regional and overseas markets.

With long-standing export activity to Asia, Novafruit operates across sea and air logistics, origin planning and quality control.

Today, extended transit times to Asian destinations, rising operating costs in Italy and stronger origin competition in Europe are all influencing how shipments are planned and where volumes are directed.

Fructidor spoke with Raffaella Oliva, Commercial Manager at Novafruit, to understand how these developments are affecting shipment planning and market focus.

Fructidor: You’ve been working with Asian markets for many years. Is that correct?

Raffaella Oliva: Yes, for more than 25 years, particularly with Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia.

How are logistics conditions affecting shipments there today?

Transit times have become much longer, which is creating difficulties. Routes that were previously manageable are now more restricted due to the risks linked to extended journeys. Shipments to Hong Kong used to take around 30 days; they are now closer to 50. Taiwan was previously about 35 days and is now also around 50. With transit times increasing to this extent, the volumes that can move safely are reduced.

How are you adapting to these changes?

We are diversifying and developing alternative destinations. At the same time, we are increasing air shipments to Asia in order to maintain our presence and continue supplying certain items.

Does sea freight remain your main channel?

Yes, sea freight remains the primary channel, but we are expanding our airfreight activity. It allows us to respond to demand and manage risk in cases where sea transit times have become too long.

Are competitive dynamics in Asia also changing?

Yes. China is more active than before, and shipments from several other origins have increased considerably.

How does the situation look in Europe, particularly for apples?

Competition is very strong. Customers receive offers not only from Italy and France but also from Central Europe, Poland, Serbia, Turkey and other origins. The volume of offers makes commercial placement more challenging.

How was the Italian crop this season?

Weather conditions were less severe than in some other producing countries, but volumes were still affected. For some red apple varieties, shortages reached approximately 25-30%.

Did this affect quality?

Quality remained generally good. The main issue was availability, as overall volumes were lower.

Italian fruit is often perceived as expensive. Why is that?

Part of this perception is linked to the level of selection and the quality standards applied. However, production costs have also increased significantly.

Which costs are rising the most?

Electricity is a major factor. Cold storage, infrastructure and warehouse operations all require substantial energy, and those costs have risen sharply.

Do you see differences compared to other producing countries?

Yes. Some countries benefit from stronger government support for agriculture and export activity. In Italy, support is more limited, so cost pressure falls more heavily on operators themselves.

To learn more about Novafruit’s sourcing programmes and export operations across Europe and Asia, send your inquiry today.