Central Valley Nut Growers Quest for New Export Route

U.S. nut exporters are in talks with steamship and rail carriers to determine a new trade route overseas. The effort comes as frustrations grow over the severe supply-chain snarls of California’s Port of Oakland. Northern California farm groups are aiming to haul containers from the Central Valley to the Port of Los Angeles. The Central Valley produces about a quarter of all U.S. food.

Support for the effort says an inland hub closer to farms would speed up the turnaround time of shipments, ease traffic on highways and reduce harmful greenhouse gases. Both ports have encountered many obstacles since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shipments fell about 30% last month in Oakland, the biggest drop since 1997.

Read more on nut exports amidst supply chain challenges here.