Zambian flower exports poised for revival

Airfreight industry readies for action
CLIVE EMDON
AIR FREIGHT services are poised to take advantage of the revival of the Zambian flower industry. After the 2004 demise of some 40% of flower exports, there is a huge effort to get back into full export production for the European market by September. MK Airlines is one freight company waiting on the sidelines. “We will be negotiating for the high season rates from September to April for flowers moving directly into Europe from Lusaka,” says commercial manager for Africa, Craig Brown. He expects the export market will generate 200 to 250 tons a week. Currently in the low vegetable season, MK Freight Systems, working as a consolidator, freights 30 tons of perishables a week from Zambia via Johannesburg to the European market using SAA, KLM and Lufthansa. The company deploys its own weekly 747 freighter that flies Europe-Lusaka-Johannesburg-Lusaka-Entebbe-Oostend (Belgium). On both routes from Europe and Johannesburg to Lusaka the freighter carries mining products for Ndola and the Copperbelt and general cargo into Lusaka. It also has a Stabo Air DC8 aircraft based in Lusaka that ferries the Oostend and Johannesburg International Airport (or JNB) cargo into Ndola from Lusaka. “This is what we offer in the low, vegetable season in the case of perishables.” Zambia’s floriculture industry, which at its height employs 12 000 people, is dominated by production of roses. These account for 95% of the industry while the other 5% covers summer flowers. Some 95% of the Zambian cut flower export goes to Holland where it is repacked and marketed in Europe. It was revealed last month that the fresh vegetable industry in Zambia had shed 2 000 jobs since December following the appreciation of the kwacha coupled with increased airfreight charges. The industry has also reduced exports of vegetables from 200 to 100 tons a week. Zambia Export Grower Association (ZEGA) chief executive Luke Mbewe said costs of production had increased significantly. He said the preferred mode of transport for vegetable exports was direct air cargo flights from Lusaka to European markets. Brown says high fuel prices are the main reason for high freight charges out of Zambia, which discourage the use of direct air cargo flights into Europe. The low season rate for freighting perishables from Zambia is US$1.60 per kg while in the high season the rate is US$2.20.