Bite into an imported grape or blueberry in South Florida and you're probably eating a fruit that was shipped from South America all the way to the Philadelphia area before being trucked back down to your local supermarket.
A business coalition wants to change that, so those imports can now come directly to South Florida seaports, saving time and money for importers and providing fresher produce to consumers.
A pilot program unveiled at a briefing Tuesday will allow grapes and blueberries from Peru and Uruguay to enter Broward County's Port Everglades and PortMiami, starting Oct. 1. If the program works, it could be extended to other fruits and nations currently off limits for direct imports, potentially bringing millions of dollars in business and cheaper fruit to South Florida.
But what seems like a no-brainer for direct imports is tougher than you think, according to Lee Sandler, the attorney representing the Florida Perishables Trade Coalition.
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