Tough going for two vegetable exporters
Delays and high cargo rates hinder London market
Stabroek News
June 4, 2004
One city businessman who exports fruits and vegetables to London using air cargo company Amerijet International Inc., says the rates are too high and their interconnecting flights from Barbados are faced with lengthy delays.
This businessman who previously exported ochroes to London was forced out of the market after Brazilian exporters were able to supply the vegetable on a larger scale at much cheaper prices. However he is not deterred and is preparing to export mangoes.
Kenyan and Malaysian vegetable exporters with their large export volumes are also making it difficult for local traders, he adds.
And apart from the strong competition, long delays at customs in Barbados puts the produce at a further disadvantage.
At times produce is detained for as long as two days in Barbados before being loaded onto Amerijet's interconnecting Virgin flights to London.
And the exporter says the produce is left in the heat which damages its quality and shortens its shelf life.
Ulric Ceres, the managing director of Total Aircargo Sales & Handling Agents Inc., the local agents for Amerijet argues that the cargo rates are reasonably priced. He says Guyana is a much longer flight distance to London when compared to countries such as the Dominican Republic. He also notes that countries such as Kenya have far more daily flights and these factors will ultimately lead to lower cargo rates. Stabroek Business understands that Amerijet charges US40 cents per lb to ship cargo to London.