SME

By FedEx | November 13, 2026

​​The global appetite for tropical delicacies like Taiwanese mangoes is growing, but exporters must move quickly to capture new windows of opportunity. Here’s how OKAWA GARDEN streamlined the challenges of fresh produce logistics with FedEx’s support.

• South Korea’s announcement of preferential tariffs on Taiwan-grown fruit imports from February to August 2026 unlocked a new market opportunity for exporters such as OKAWA GARDEN.
• Given the complexities of fresh produce logistics, OKAWA GARDEN relied on FedEx to develop a tailored air freight solution that spanned specialized handling, customs clearance assistance, and cargo handover arrangements.
• Supported by FedEx’s direct Taiwan-Korea flight service and dedicated operational support, OKAWA GARDEN successfully shipped 2,833 cartons – or 16,620 kilograms – of fresh mangoes in one month.

As Taiwan’s mango harvest reaches its summer peak, farmers face a race against the clock to pick, pack, and transport millions of the prized fruit. Renowned for their sweetness and fragrance, these delicate mangoes must journey to reach store shelves at the height of their freshness – just in time for seasonal spikes in customer demand.

Increasingly, this journey stretches farther than ever. Rising global demand for Taiwanese mangoes and other tropical fruits is opening up new markets for exporters and distributors.

Mango exports from Taiwan are predicted to grow by 2.5 to 2.6 times year-on-year in 2026, as the government aims to expand sales across all member states of the European Union (EU). Meanwhile, South Korea offered preferential tariffs on Taiwanese mangoes, bananas, and pineapples from February to August 2026, lowering the duty rate from 30% to 5% and reducing trade costs for Taiwan farmers and exporters.

To seize these opportunities while the timing is ripe, businesses need tailored logistics solutions to move perishable goods across borders. OKAWA GARDEN’s fruitful collaboration with FedEx shows how the right logistics support can fuel business growth. In just one month, FedEx transported 2,833 cartons of mangoes from Taiwan to Korea, supporting OKAWA GARDEN’s expansion into a growing export market.

Tackling the challenges of fresh produce logistics

With Korea announcing lower tariffs on Taiwanese fruit in the first half of 2026, OKAWA GARDEN had to move quickly to capture this opportunity. Shipping fresh mangoes to Korea, however, required more than simply finding freight capacity.

Because mangoes are highly perishable and have a limited sales window, there is little room for delays when transporting them across borders. From initial processing to airport handover, customs clearance, and last-mile delivery, every step must be carefully coordinated to help preserve freshness and meet tight commercial timelines.

After undergoing steam treatment and export processing in Taiwan, fresh fruits need to be moved to the airport and scheduled for air export quickly. Exporters therefore depend on reliable cargo capacity, frequent flight schedules, and close operational coordination to minimize delays. They must also ensure their fresh produce exports comply with specific import and customs clearance requirements in the destination market.

An experienced logistics provider like FedEx can help exporters navigate these challenges with less hassle. As global demand for fresh produce surges, FedEx has developed customized logistics solutions to ensure perishable goods arrive in pristine condition. These solutions include temperature-controlled transportation, expedited cross-border shipping, and specialized handling by a dedicated team of FedEx experts. For OKAWA GARDEN, this expertise has proven critical in moving fruits quickly without compromising quality.

How seamless collaboration delivered a tailored solution

To address the unique challenges of fresh fruit exports, the FedEx team set out to build a perishable goods air freight solution tailored to OKAWA GARDEN’s specific needs.

Working closely with OKAWA GARDEN, FedEx’s experts developed a detailed understanding of the shipping requirements for fresh mangoes. This ranged from processing schedules to cargo handover arrangements, air export requirements, customs clearance procedures, and the need for close monitoring throughout the journey.

These complexities required coordination beyond a standard express shipment. FedEx collaborated closely with OKAWA GARDEN, FedEx Gateway Service Center, and relevant third-party service providers to establish practical workflows that would enable smooth transportation and seamless cargo handovers. This cross-functional collaboration allowed OKAWA GARDEN to address operational challenges quickly and streamline the different stages of the shipment journey.

Air connectivity supports shipping speed and reliability

For perishable goods such as mangoes, shipping speed is critical to reduce the risk of spoilage. Flight frequency and reliable connectivity can make all the difference in getting fresh produce to market in peak condition.

In the case of OKAWA GARDEN, FedEx’s direct Taiwan-Korea flight service offered a fast and dependable route from farm to market. Launched in 2025, the service operates seven times a week, strengthening cargo capacity and shipping reliability between the two markets. This direct connectivity supports intra-Asia trade flows, helping Taiwanese exporters to sharpen their competitive edge in regional markets.

The frequent service gave OKAWA GARDEN greater flexibility to respond to customer demand. Rather than having to hold shipments while waiting for limited flight options, the exporter could arrange for air freight shipping as soon as the mangoes had completed steam treatment and export processing. With fewer logistics delays, the delicate produce could reach Korean consumers at its freshest and best.

Keeping perishable goods moving with customs clearance support

Customs clearance is another pressure point that fresh produce exporters must proactively address. For perishable goods like fresh mangoes, even minor delays at customs can impact product quality, reduce shelf life, and decrease the sales window for retailers to maximize profits.

Under Korea’s import requirements, mango shipments must clear customs through a general cargo warehouse. The clearance process also requires a Master Air Waybill (MAWB), meaning a standard FedEx Express Air Waybill cannot be used for these shipments.

To ensure a smooth clearance process, FedEx worked with OKAWA GARDEN to prepare a compliant Master Air Waybill and adapt shipping workflows to local import requirements. This coordination helped the exporter to minimize clearance delays across the fresh produce logistics process.

FedEx also provided value-added operational support tailored to perishable goods. This included proactive shipment coordination, timely ramp support, close monitoring of key operational milestones, priority handling when required, and dedicated assistance from FedEx’s operational teams. From cargo handover to customs clearance, FedEx closely coordinated the end-to-end shipment journey to reduce the risk of disruption at critical points.

Turning a logistics challenge into a growth opportunity

OKAWA GARDEN’s collaboration with FedEx demonstrates how tailored logistics enables businesses to respond to changing trade conditions and capture new cross-border opportunities. With FedEx’s robust air network, customs expertise, and operational support helping to streamline the export process, OKAWA GARDEN was able to ship 2,833 cartons of mangoes – weighing a total of 16,620 kilograms – to Korea in just one month.

As trade flows across Asia Pacific continue to evolve, FedEx is strengthening its air network to connect businesses with key markets faster. Our recently expanded Transshipment Center at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, for instance, offers enhanced capabilities to handle express parcels, specialized shipments, and cold-chain goods – delivering the speed and reliability that perishable goods exporters need.

Beyond Taiwan, we’ve enhanced intra-Asia connectivity with a dedicated non-stop freighter service between our APAC hub in Guangzhou, China and Sydney, Australia. This routing reduces transit times for select shipments by one day, allowing time-sensitive goods from major Asian markets to reach Australia in as little as two business days.

With more efficient air freight solutions for perishable goods, producers and exporters can bring Asia’s rich bounty of fresh produce to tables around the world.