OPPORTUNITY is always there to be found. One need only to know where to look.

Proof of this is the Yap Station who successfully acquired a big share of the betel nut market on Yap, an island in the FSM.

Betel nuts, also known as Pinang or Areca nut, are the seeds of the Betel Palm. Betel nuts are often chewed for their helpful effects, which are caused by the relatively high levels of alkaloids in the seed.

As a growing million-dollar industry, betel nuts are in huge demand in places such as Guam, Palau, CNMI, FSM and the Marshall Islands. And Yap has the resources to meet this growing demand since the island’s betel nut, which is considered the best among the varieties imported by other FSM states, is preferred by most of its consumers.

The problem, however, was shippers encountered many problems –among them was their cargo’s booking and tendering with Continental Airlines. The Yap Station, along with Guam Station GM Danny Lim, saw this as an opportunity and quickly, they arranged for several meetings with the concerned shippers and Continental Airlines. In two months, the meetings bore fruit and the Yap Station began their work on the betel nut market last December 6, 2006.

Currently, the Yap Station provides freight forwarding (air outbound), booking and forecasting, pick-up, cargo acceptance, quarantine and environmental health clearing, storage and tendering.

The station delivers these betel nut cargos, which are destined for Guam, Saipan, Palau and Chuuk, to Continental Airlines on behalf of the shippers. However, the Yap Station broadened their scope and has included taro and frozen fish as well.

For this, they have their radio advertisements to thank for. “Our ads were meant to inform the general public and broaden our market segment,” said Leo Badiong, agent for CTSI Logistics Yap. “Since then, we have had new bookings from new shippers, shipping perishables like fresh frozen fish and cooked taro etc.”

Just last December 16, 2006, Badiong reported that they averaged 6,000 pounds of betel nuts, taro and frozen fish on their Thursday flights. With their goal of increasing their cargo volume and opening new markets in coordination with other CTSI Logistics Stations as well as Continental Airlines, those numbers are indeed a positive indication of the things to come for the Yap Station.