News
Shipping delays still building for exporters
A large ag exporter says shipping issues are not going away.
Mike Durkin is the president and CEO of Leprino (la-pre-no) Foods which is the largest buyer of milk in the country and one of the largest sellers of mozzarella and whey across the globe.
“Over 90 percent of our export orders were either rolled or missed in 2021, on a normal year that would have been 10 percent,” he says.
Some of his shipments last year were delayed at least five months or had to be moved on aircrafts for customers.
“If you were to look at the last nine months, December was the worst month on record,” he shares.
He adds carriers have reported from 25 to 40 percent of orders are ghost bookings which have added to the logistical nightmare.
“It’s hard to coordinate,” he says. “Throw that on top of a chassis, equipment, labor shortage, and if you have a quick notice to turn around for an opening—you now can’t get the product there because you don’t have enough time.”
He says the lack of reliability and consistency of supply from the U.S. is impacting the viability of international trade and more immediate, creative solutions are needed along with government intervention.
Durkin was among several panelists to speak on the supply chain crisis during a recent AgriPulse webinar.
