China, US strengthen cooperation on cold-chain logistics

CHINA and US officials recently met to discuss cold chain logistics in Beijing and agreed to strengthen cooperation, Xinhua reported.
The conference was organised by US Agricultural Trade Beijing Office, China Federation of Logistics & Purchasing (CFLP), government authorities and industry associations from both sides. The two countries exchanged information on successful experiences on setting standards for the cold chain logistics industry and considered opinions on issues facing the sector.
According to CFLP vice chairman Dai Dingyi there are more than 700 million square metres` cold storage space for commercial use in China, with about 30,000 temperature-controlled vehicles and 6,900 reefer railcars, far from meeting the ever-increasing demand.
Global management consulting firm ATKearney predicts that the numbers of refrigerated vehicles in China will grow more than 28 per cent over the next decade, with the number of cold storage warehouses rising some 30 per cent.