Export opportunities now sky high for region
IT certainly has been exciting over the past few weeks to see our region’s export capabilities expand through the Wellcamp Airport.
Earlier this month, Cathay Pacific announced an extra weekly freight flight out of
Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport to Hong Kong, and just a week later Singapore Airlines committed to commence exporting our local produce directly to Singaporean markets.
This means that our region can potentially export 160 tonnes of cargo each week to strategic parts of Asia.
These new freight opportunities have come about due to the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) which is the Australian Government’s contribution to help restore critical global supply chains that have been heavily impacted by COVID-19.
Until now, COVID has meant that exporters have had significant issues getting produce out of the country due to the almost non-existent capacity on the underbelly of passenger planes.
This has meant increased freight costs which in many cases has made export unviable.
These new flights from Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines are not only a sign of confidence in our region, but they also give our exporters a chance to showcase our regional produce to the world at reduced freight costs.
Initially, both flights will run on a trial basis for six weeks with the potential for extending the timeframe.
What we need to see now is our exporters and regional freight forwarders fill these planes so the flights can be ongoing.
We’re calling on everyone who is exporting, whether it be local produce or any export goods, to contact their local freight forwarder, Wellcamp Airport or TSBE for assistance.
As a region, we are well placed to take advantage of these opportunities, with our exceptional reputation as a sustainable food production area and excellent capability across agriculture.
We’d love to see our produce in as many markets across the world as possible, and now is a great time to take advantage of the freight opportunities that have come our way.