Air Cargo Provides Vital Link in Global Perishable Goods Supply Chain

Air cargo plays a pivotal role in the global transport of perishable goods, providing the speed and reliability necessary to preserve product quality and reduce spoilage.

Items such as fresh fruits and vegetables, seafood, flowers, dairy products, and pharmaceuticals have limited shelf lives, making air freight the preferred mode of transportation for ensuring freshness and meeting tight delivery windows — especially for sectors like retail, hospitality, and healthcare.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a seamless and efficient supply chain — heavily reliant on air transport — is essential for getting perishable goods to consumers in top condition.

The latest data from IATA’s CargoIS marketing intelligence platform underscores this point: in 2024, the global fresh produce market transported by air grew by 8%.

Fruit and vegetables were by far the biggest segment in 2024, representing almost a third of all perishable goods transported by air, IATA noted in a recent report.

The next biggest segments were fish (21%), flowers (13%) and meat (10%). The fastest-growing segments were cool goods, up 45% and meat, up 21% year on year in 2024.

One of the busiest trade lanes for fruit and vegetables, was between Mumbai and London Heathrow, driven by demand from a thriving Indian community in the UK.

The second busiest, was a domestic route between Davao, the Philippines’ agricultural hub and the capital Manila.

Australia was by far the biggest exporter of Meat by air in 2024 — with more than 50% of the market. Melbourne was by far the biggest Australian gateway, with meat transported from the city by air growing 55% year on year.

Most of these shipments were to key consumer markets in Singapore, Dubai, Doha and Frankfurt.

Pakistan and South Africa also featured as top source markets for Meat, with South African shipments by air virtually doubling year on year in 2024.

Demand for certain products has shown to be highly seasonal and driven by key celebrations globally. Flower shipments spiked in the first two weeks of February ahead of Valentine’s Day, with Ecuador, Kenya and Colombia making up the top source markets.

Similarly, fish shipments increased sharply ahead of Chinese New Year. Norway was by far the biggest source market. Between 20 November 2023 to 4 February 2024, Norway accounted for 46.54% of the chargeable weight of fish transported by air.

Most of these shipments were destined for Asia, with Japan, Thailand and China the largest markets.

Industry analysts say, currently, over 60% of international fresh flower exports move via air freight.

Air cargo moves millions of tons of perishables annually, especially between Latin America, Africa, and major consumption hubs in Europe, Asia, and North America.

The pharmaceutical industry alone accounts for billions of dollars in air freight revenue annually due to strict handling requirements.

Rising demand for fresh, organic, and exotic foods — fuelled by e-commerce and urban affluence — is increasing reliance on air cargo to meet consumer expectations for availability and freshness.

IATA’s Global Head of Cargo Brendan Sullivan said, “The growth in perishable goods volumes highlights the vital role air travel plays in helping farmers, production companies, and traders get their produce from the farm to the supermarket shelf.

“Shipping perishable goods by air saves precious time for cargo that has a short shelf life while making it more sustainable by reducing waste. 

To cope with sustained market growth and consumer needs, IATA has worked with airlines and shippers to develop standards, training, efficient handling techniques, and packaging methods to ensure food safety and a logistics chain where speed of transit is non-negotiable.”

Although air cargo handles less than 1% of global trade volume, it accounts for nearly 35% of trade value — a testament to the premium and time-sensitive nature of the goods it carries.

For the perishable goods industry, air freight is not just important — it is essential. Without it, modern supply chains for many temperature-sensitive products would not be viable.