The Qingdao Dongfang Dingxin International Agricultural and Non-Staple Products Trading Center, on the outskirts of the city of Qingdao, Shandong province, recently established a port to handle imports of high-quality fruits from abroad, with easier customs clearances and inspection procedures, at a cost of 5.6 billion yuan ($902 million).

The port has already attracted more than 600 companies from the US, EU and Southeast Asia and has a daily trading volume of more than 3,000 tons, giving a great boost to the fruit business in East and North China.

Currently, overseas fruits are imported to China by ship or air, with customs clearance and inspection procedures for fruit imported by sea available only in Shanghai and Shenzhen. However, when the port starts operation, the time for transporting fruits from overseas to Qingdao, Zhengzhou and Beijing, will be saved, which may help keep fruits fresh and reduce costs, said Yu Yi, director of Jimo commerce bureau.

The trading center has an ambition of building the port into the top distributing center of foreign fruit in the north area of Yangtze River, by improving its cold chain system and logistics, according to the staffer of the center.