MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Fruit from California to Falklands.

Fresh fruit from as far a field as the United States of America is now gracing the fresh produce cabinets in the West Store of Stanley.

Tim Miller from Stanley Growers said he was pleased to announce the arrival of the first airfreight shipment consisting of red and green seedless grapes, melons, nectarines, peaches, plums and mangoes.

Tim said "not surprisingly" the produce is more expensive because of the distance it is transported, adding "it's grown in California, the USA's sunshine state."

Tim explained how the order is packed and inspected by US Department of Agriculture in Miami on Tuesday. On Wednesday it is flown by airfreighter to Santiago where it goes into transit cool store until it is flown down to Punta Arenas on Friday evening and across here on Saturday.

To comply with Chilean plant health transit regulations the produce is packed in large sealed cartons with ice gel packs to keep it chilled. Tim said "this all adds to the weight, the airfreight on the icepacks alone was £280.

"We hope that this new service will improve the all year round availability of seasonal fresh produce when Chile is out of season. It will also enable cruise ships to obtain some products here which are unavailable in Argentina or Chile." (PN).-