Air freight fall hits avocado exports

AUCKLAND: Avocado exports appear to be the latest Covid casualty due to shrinking air freight capacity.

Figures from Auckland Airport for August, the traditional start of the avocado export season, show an almost 60% drop in avocados sent by air to overseas markets compared with the same month last year.

Auckland Airport aeronautical commercial manager Scott Tasker said air exports to Korea and Thailand had been particularly hardhit.

‘‘That’s really reflecting a crunch in air freight capacity into those markets.

‘‘Cargo capacity between Auckland and Korea was down 44% and 89% through to Thailand. It looks like some of that has shifted across to sea freight, with a 15% increase in avocado leaving Ports of Auckland and Ports of Tauranga,’’ he said.

However, sea freight exporting was harder to time and the majority of avocado exports — about twothirds — were typically sent by air, he said.

‘‘Normally, we’d expect a fair proportion of avocado exports to go via sea freight to Australia, with significant exports flying out to markets further away.

‘‘This mixedfreight strategy allows the fruit to arrive in top condition and capitalise on seasonal market peaks.

‘‘It’s definitely harder to time the market when you’re planning longer lead times if you’re sending your crop via sea freight, Mr Tasker said. — RNZ