Ti's latest report, Global Cold Chain Logistics 2008/9, concludes that the greatest opportunities for the sector lie in developing markets such as China, India and Vietnam.
According to the latest report published today by Transport Intelligence (Ti) in association with the Global Cold Chain Association (GCCA), developing markets such as China, India and Vietnam represent the greatest opportunities for cold chain logistics.
The report, Global Cold Chain Logistics 2008/9, has found that supply chains in these countries are extremely under developed, particularly those for refrigerated foodstuffs. Research identified that as much as 40% of the dairy produce, fruit and vegetables produced in India is lost or spoilt because of poor storage, handling or transportation. Similarly the lack of cold storage in the Vietnamese seafood industry is hampering the development of the sector.
In spite of annual double digit increases in its public refrigerated warehouse (PRW) space, China, with the world's fastest growing economy and the largest number of consumers, suffers from a poor cold chain infrastructure. According to one of the report's authors, Ti analyst Raphael Chalogany, most of its cold storage facilities are vastly out of date.
"Cold storage capacity in China only covers between 20% and 25% of total output, compared to 70% to 80% in more developed countries", says Chalogany. "There is also a lack of refrigerated vehicles, limiting the volume of temperature sensitive goods that can be transported throughout the country".
Third party logistics providers involved in the cold supply chain industry are also enjoying real development opportunities, as increasing numbers of companies outsource their supply chains. However, few 3PLs can claim to offer to their clients a full worldwide cold supply chain. Most transport operations tend to be nationally based with international services in just a few countries. The report concludes that the need to reduce costs, increasing globalisation and environmental and public health issues will shape the cold supply chains of the future, leading to the further integration of top operators for the benefit of their global clients.
About Global Cold Chain Logistics 2008/9
Global Cold Chain Logistics 2008/9 focuses on the cold supply chain for various sectors and reviews the trends currently affecting processed food manufacturers, global retail markets and fresh food producers. It provides an insight into current opportunities, such as a need for more and larger refrigerated warehouses and improved technologies. The report also reviews the logistics strategies of the main companies within the sector and highlights issues such as the gap in the PRW capacity available in different regions.
For more information contact Sarah Smith on +44(0)1666 511880 or email her on ssmith@transportintelligence.com.