Exports from Asia Pacific to Africa have been increasing year on year – a positive sign of things to come. According to Nely Kusmin, SAA Cargo (SAAC) regional manager for Asia Pacific, SAAC carried 12 000 tons out of Asia Pacific during the last financial year which was a 26% increase over the previous year. “There is no doubt that exports are increasing although South Africa was an exception to this in 2010 which we believe was due to the Soccer World Cup,” she said. SAAC operates flights to Mumbai, Hong Kong and Perth in the Asia Pacific. Hong Kong is serviced with daily flights on an A343 with average cargo capacity of 13 tons. With key destinations for cargo from southern Africa being Harare, Maputo and Luanda, the types of cargo differ. “Exports from Asia Pacific mainly include clothing, electronics, pharmaceutical goods, automotive parts and mining equipment,” said Kusmin, who believes that despite the growth it is no time to be complacent. “The current US/euro crisis may not have affected the airfreight movement to Africa as yet, but it opens up more competition due to available capacity as a result of lower demand to US/Europe,” she said.
