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Why are strawberries, cherries, pineapples, and avocados sometimes shipped by air?
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fruit processing
Limes being prepared for processing into juice, Tecoman, Mexico.
Strawberries, cherries, pineapples, and avocados are increasingly shipped by air to ensure they reach consumers in a "vine- or tree-ripe" condition.1
Because these fruits are highly perishable, air transport allows them to be delivered to distant marketsāsometimes across continentsāin a day or less. This rapid transit is essential for maintaining the quality of produce that might otherwise deteriorate during the longer durations required for sea or ground shipping. The practice has become more common due to the availability of larger, faster cargo planes and a reduction in air-freight costs.12