Greek Kiwifruit Exports Face Major Challenges in Jan-25 Due to Unprecedented Shipping Delays

The overseas export season for Greek kiwifruit faces significant disruption due to unprecedented vessel delays and routing complications in Jan-25. Substantial delays have affected all destinations in Latin America, leaving kiwifruit supply chains in disarray and empty markets during the critical Christmas period. The anticipated surge of containers arriving in Jan-25 and Feb-25 risks overwhelming the market, posing challenges for subsequent shipments and sales programs. For Asian markets, shipping routes bypassing the Suez Canal have already caused delays of up to 20 days for services to South and Far East Asian ports. These delays are expected to worsen in mid to late Jan-25 due to the Chinese New Year festivities, which traditionally slow logistics operations in the region. These disruptions threaten the timely delivery of Greek kiwifruit, raising concerns about demand fulfillment and market stability in the coming months.