How Any Shipper Can Minimize the Seasonal Impact of the Fresh Produce Industry - RWIlogistics

1. Minimizing the Seasonal Impact of the Fresh Produce Sector: A Guide for Shippers of All Types The harvest season can be a busy and demanding time for farmers and logistics companies that need to quickly transport fresh fruits and vegetables from the fields to markets, food processors, and manufacturers. This rush for fast and reliable transport often leads to increased shipping rates and potential supply chain disruptions. If your business relies on refrigerated transport, understanding the seasonal trends of the shipping industry can help reduce costs and prevent unforeseen issues. It's important to note that regardless of whether your business directly deals with fresh produce or not, it may still be impacted by the limited availability of trucks and trailers during this peak period. This issue can affect your product distribution efficiency nationwide, potentially leading to delays and customer dissatisfaction. Understanding produce season Transporting fresh produce is a race against time, causing a surge in demand for refrigerated LTL carriers. During produce season, carriers tend to focus on areas where fresh fruits and vegetables may need hauling. This leads to a spike in delivery rates due to increased demand, as well as a shortage of capacity in other areas. The need for additional trailers and trucks to distribute products nationwide rises sharply during the spring and summer harvest season, also affecting the availability of dry vans. This situation results in scheduling difficulties and increased shipping costs for other shippers—particularly those requiring refrigerated transport services. Refrigerated trailers, or "reefers," can become hard to book, especially without the right brokers or carriers. Ways to reduce the impact of harvest season on your logistics

2. The fresh produce industry begins ramping up its operations in May, with activity often continuing throughout spring and summer. If you are a shipper, you might want to plan way ahead and partner with a reliable logistics provider that can help you save on shipments while ensuring timely deliveries. Prices tend to rise during peak harvest months, so it's advisable to prearrange rates and capacities to avoid seasonal challenges. Staying informed about the latest harvest schedules and actively exploring methods to maintain a carrier-friendly business can also prove beneficial. If your business model allows, you might consider using intermodal transport to boost capacity. You can also opt for refrigerated trailers instead of dry vans, as long as these options meet your freight weight specifications. By adopting these strategies, you can achieve cost savings without compromising on transport capacity, thereby maintaining the efficiency of your logistics operations. You can rely on RWI Logistics If you’re a shipper looking to overcome the impact of fresh produce season, it’s time to partner up with RWI Logistics. Our solutions-oriented logistics company can introduce process standardization and the latest technologies to make your supply chain smarter and more efficient, even during produce season. RWI Logistics is also among the trusted refrigerated LTL carriers specializing in dry full truckload transport services, with a dependable carrier network and round-the-clock support.