Yantai International Airport launched its first flight for transport of cherries of the year on May 23.

Flight B757, backed up by SF Express, is designed to transport four tons of cherries to Shenzhen, Guangdong province, enabling the local residents there, to taste the earliest ripe cherries within 24 hours.

According to Yantai International Airport, during the cherry season last year Yantai airport transported 6,000 tons of cherries, up 15 percent from 5,100 tons last year, with daily totals of 400 tons transported to over 200 cities across the country.

Accordingly, this year’s cherry flights are cooperating with two domestic express logistics companies - SF Express and China Post. The peak period of cherry flights will be from June 1st to June 10th.

This is the sixth year Yantai has launched its air freight for cherry transportation. During the past six years, Yantai made efforts to develop, consolidate and expand that service.

To date, around 80 percent of cities in China can taste fresh Yantai cherries within 24 hours, benefiting from the city’s mature fresh fruit express chain which involves fruit farmers, e-commerce and air freighting to customers.

E-commerce logistics is a key factor in Yantai's modern logistics development. The city will construct fruit e-commerce platforms to transport seasonal fruits like apples, cherries and pears to cities across China.

As an e-commerce demonstration city and a pilot city for cross-border commerce, Yantai will strengthen cooperation with business and financial departments, ports and customs to help cross-border e-commerce companies improve their express service.

Staffs of SF Express pose for a group photo to mark the launching of the sixth season of cherry flights at Yantai international airport. [Photo/shm.com.cn]