Perishables & Refrigerated Goods

About Perishables & Refrigerated Goods trade

Perishable goods are products that spoil quickly and need a cold chain: fresh and frozen fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. Buyers are importers, retailers, wholesalers and food processors. For these cargoes the shipping time, the temperature control and the import rules at the destination decide whether a deal works.

Who trades Perishables & Refrigerated Goods in the world

Looking at the 4 products of this group together, the largest exporting countries in 2024 were Brazil, United States, Spain, Australia, and the largest importing countries were China, United States, Japan, Germany. Open a product to see the figures for that product alone.

Source: OEC (BACI/CEPII), 2024. Sums of the main trading countries of each product in the group; by every mode of transport, not only by sea.

How Perishables & Refrigerated Goods is shipped

Perishables travel in refrigerated containers or on reefer ships, with the temperature set for each product. Ripening cargoes such as bananas also need controlled atmosphere. Delays or a broken cold chain can destroy a whole lot, so the contract defines who carries the risk and when.

What buyers and sellers compare

Buyers compare the variety, the size and grade, the packing, the ripeness at loading, the shelf life on arrival and the temperature records. The inspection at origin and at destination should be agreed in advance.

When the terms are agreed, you can explore suitable vessels on Shipfixing.

Questions about Perishables & Refrigerated Goods

What temperature do refrigerated cargoes need?

It depends on the product. Frozen meat and fish are kept at about minus 18 degrees Celsius, while many fruits need a few degrees above zero, so the setting is agreed for each shipment.

What is a reefer ship?

A refrigerated cargo ship with insulated holds that keep the temperature of palletised or boxed produce, used mostly for fruit and other fresh goods.