Turkish Cargo moves in on Africa-Europe perishables market

Turkish Cargo’s reputation as a major player amongst other major carriers that move perishables from East Africa to Europe continued to bud this month.

Based out of the astutely located Istanbul hub, the carrier reported today that it carried 906 tonnes of roses from Nairobi to the Netherlands between Jan. 16 and Feb. 12, in anticipation of European demand for flowers approaching Valentine’s Day.

Last week, due to a shortage of capacity caused by infrequent flights into Africa, flower exporters struggled to secure their spots on European-bound freighters, resulting in pandemonium amongst shippers to get their perishable commodities out in time to meet the surge in demand.

In a normal week, Turkish Cargo operates five flights from Kenya to the Netherlands, moving 340 tonnes of cut roses per week, meaning the carrier experienced a 165 percent increase during the pre-Valentine’s Day rush. Taking advantage of the increased demand for European-bound forwarders, it added an additional 12 flights on its newly acquired 777Fs for the week from its usual three.