Transporters of food and agro products share concerns of overwhelming challenges they face accessing farms and market points for easy access to consumers who ought to have them in their most natural and best nutritional states.
Topping the list of the challenges faced are; bad roads, making up the most common challenge faced, followed by multiple taxation, harassment, insecurity and robbery activities.
These and some others are contributory factors to the growing food crisis affecting the country and viable options ought to be developed to get food items from the farmers to consumers with the least hassles possible.
Alhaji Adio Aregbe, an interstate transporter, noted that the government needs to fix access roads and provide adequate transportation that is cheap, effective and efficient, saying, “an efficient rail system will reduce the cost of transporting farm produce to the markets and improve food security, but importantly State Governments building Cargo Airports should additionally develop local Air Cargo businesses that will focus on freighting agro products through the air, since many states now have Cargo Airports.”
As at last count, over 16 airports are designated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), as perishable export terminals in the country and only Lagos, Port Harcourt, Kano, Abuja and Owerri are functioning optimally.
Despite the inability of previously launched cargo airports to deliver improved value to Nigeria’s GDP and economy, state governments across the country are still investing heavily on the cargo airports despite other pressing needs for infrastructure and social amenities in their respective states.
Aregbe further said, “States Governors should put their heads together to ensure these Cargo Airports have safe, functional and road linkages to them, while also acquiring light cargo planes to service those airports and agro Aerodrome, majoring in the lifting and distribution of agro products and other perishable cargoes.
According to Captain Aret Adeola, a graduate of the Nigeria School of Aviation Studies, Zaria, and a co-pilot for a popular National Airline, “Air cargo is another term for air freight. It is the carriage or the transportation of goods through an air carrier. Transport services via air are the most valuable when it comes to moving perishable or sensitive items, such as, agro, pharmaceutical and health related products.
“A Cargo Service carries out all types of courier tasks for their customers and clients. It provides transportations of any type of goods including garments, merchandise, retail and whole consumer goods, and any other legal materials.
Air freight is an ideal mode of transportation for perishable goods due to its speed and efficiency. Some of the benefits of perishable goods air freight include: Faster delivery times and reduced transit times.” He said.
Adding that, “Insulated containers, such as coolers or temperature-controlled packaging, could be used to maintain the desired temperature range throughout the journey, considering the perishable specific temperature requirements, duration of transportation, and any potential external factors that may impact the cargo.
“Perishable goods (such as fruits, flowers, and vegetables) were among the first commodities carried by air. However, such goods deteriorate over time and under extreme temperatures and humidity, and must thus be handled with particular care.”
Mr. Henry Ifinwa, of Townsend Travels, said, “The air cargo industry itself creates jobs and generates revenue for various supporting industries, including aircraft manufacturing, logistics, warehousing, and ground handling services. These sectors contribute to economic development and provide employment opportunities.
“Air freight services offer numerous benefits, including speed, efficiency, global reach, and reliable delivery times. However, it’s crucial to consider factors such as cost, size and weight restrictions, and special handling requirements when choosing air freight services.
As a way of reducing weight, air freight often requires less packaging than other shipping methods. This helps save money but also means there is less wastage. Additionally, due to the speed of transportation and quick clearance procedures of customs officers, there is much less need for warehousing.”
In recent decades, the aviation industry has become the most effective means of transporting cargo in a safe and timely manner. Air cargo revolutionised freighting services, vastly reducing trucking times for freight across the country compared to popular alternatives such as trucks and boats.
Air freight accounts for 35% of the world’s trade, with over $6 trillion worth of cargo transported annually. Shipping by air provides multiple advantages for SMBs and large organizations for international and domestic shipments, and it’s vital for time-sensitive cargo.
The maximum gross weight allowed for air freight varies based on the airline you choose. Even so, it often ranges between 100 and 500 kilos per flight. If the shipment weighs more than this quantity, it may still be delivered by air, subject to the rules and limitations of the airline.
According to Aloba Yusuf, a member of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, said there are two types of air cargo – general and special cargo. General cargo includes high-value goods, such as electronics, jewellery and pharmaceuticals, Agro and other products and services.
According to a research report published by Spherical Insights and Consulting, on the lower level, the plane can hold another five pallets along with 14 specially fitted containers, each up to 64 inches (1.6-m) tall. All of these goods are loaded through hatches on the side of the plane. Additionally, the plane can also open up its nose for the loading of large or irregularly shaped cargo.
Air cargo containers, which are also called Unit Load Devices, air containers, airplane cargo containers or ULDs, come in two main forms: rigid, enclosed containers, pallet and net combinations. The following processes are followed; Preparation and packaging of goods, Booking and documentation, Customs clearance and security screening, Loading and transport of goods, Tracking and monitoring, Arrival and delivery.
The report stressed that the global air cargo market is poised for substantial growth, with projections indicating that it will reach USD 130.19 billion by 2030, demonstrating a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4. The global air cargo market is expected to reach USD 130.19 Billion by 2030, with a CAGR of 4.9% from 2020-2030.
For the whole of the first half of this year, air cargo demand increased by 13.4%, y-o-y. First half 2024 cargo demand was also greater than in the same period during 2022 (by 4.3%) and even during record-breaking 2021 (by 0.02), the report added.
Mr. Aloba said, “Though the air cargo industry is currently facing a number of challenges, most notably the rise in oil prices and the imposition of tariffs. However, there are also a number of opportunities available to the industry, including the growth of e-commerce and the development of new markets.
“The prospect of global markets becoming more and more of a reality, the demand for air cargo movements will continue to grow as part of an expanding logistics system that will emphasize higher processing speeds, greater efficiency, more specialized customer services, time-definite delivery, and reduced costs.”
Aloba said for an Air Cargo Airport to successfully participate in the growth of air cargo, every airport needs a clear set of objectives and a comprehensive air cargo marketing and business development plan.
He said: “The first step in the process is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the regional market, the air cargo facilities, and the service infrastructure. Although market potential is the driving force that attracts air carriers and a wide range of supporting businesses to an airport, a combination of other factors including government agencies, the availability of roadway access, warehousing, aeronautical infrastructure, and ramp space also influences the decision to establish an operation in a given area.
“Thus, it is essential that the marketing effort be closely coordinated with a comprehensive plan for the development of cargo facilities (if needed). The second step is to establish specific objectives, identify your target audience and design a marketing strategy that will reach your customers and achieve your goals.”
He observed however that many airports assume that because they have a runway they can serve the air cargo segment of the industry effectively. This is not necessarily true. “There are many variables that will determine the potential success of an air cargo operation. These include, but are not limited to, the physical capacity of the airport and its landside and aeronautical infrastructure, regional consuming and producing markets, roadway access, redistribution capacity by air or land, aircraft capacity, and competing airports.
“Even with several of these attributes, many airports will still be very challenged to successfully implement air cargo service. Nigeria seems to be lagging behind in the air cargo business, with a high population of goods imported from other parts of the world despite all kinds of agricultural produce with ready markets both local and international.
“When people discuss logistics, they typically refer to shipping chains. Simply stated, a shipping chain is the number of firms that it takes to move a product from its point of origin to the ultimate consumer.” He added.
A recent review of the studies in Nigerian air transport reveals that not much attention had been accorded to the flow of air cargo, while deliberate attention had been given to the analysis of the flow of passenger, aircraft movement, and flight operations emphasisingsafety and security, as well as issues on policy and bilateral agreements.
Most airlines rely so much on the cargo business for revenue generation even though they are not dedicated cargo airlines.
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