News / Modal shift momentum in East Africa for perishables

Momentum is gathering in East Africa to transfer the transport of fresh produce – flowers, fruit, and vegetables – from air to sea.

The move is viewed by exporters, industry bodies, and support groups as a bold but necessary step on the path to enhancing trade resilience in the region, as well as contributing to cost optimisation and environmental sustainability.

For example, Ethiopia has embarked on a major project to transform its horticultural sector by moving avocado exports from being “costly” air cargo to more sustainable and high-volume sea freight.

Playing a central role is the Netherlands government agency, the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI), which has already led to the publication of the Avocado Export Guide, a tool designed to standardise export processes and help domestic, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) adapt to global maritime freight systems.

Milco Rikken, business export coach for fresh fruits and vegetables at the CBI and owner of Dutch market research and trade development specialist ProVerde, said transitioning to sea freight was one of the project’s key objectives.

“To my knowledge, there are no official figures that give the precise modal share of air and sea for Ethiopian horticultural exports. For now, I would estimate that high-value perishable exports (including flowers, many fresh vegetables, and premium fruit) remain predominantly air-freighted.” 

One major logistics player closely tracking modal shift is DHL Global Forwarding (DGF). CEO Eastern Africa Pramod Bagalwadi told The Loadstar: “Through the DHL-Ethiopian Airlines Logistics Services JV, we’re helping SME farmers gain access to international markets more effectively. One of our areas of focus is practical innovation; for example, developing packaging that can extend the shelf life of perishable goods such as avocados and pineapples.” 

He continued: “Ocean transport can take several weeks, so maintaining freshness is essential. Our new packaging materials add two to three weeks of shelf life, helping exporters deliver better quality products, increase revenue, and reduce spoilage. We’ve tested this technology successfully and plan to roll it out on a larger scale in early 2026.” 

Mr Bagalwadi said avocados were leading the shift to ocean, due to their resilience and significant cost advantages, but there was growing potential for flowers, herbs, and pineapples, mainly when supported by an additional layer of packaging that protects freshness and quality through the journey.

DHL GF’s Pramod Bagalwadi

He also pointed to the advances in reefer container technology which make it possible to keep even the most time-sensitive fruit and vegetables optimally fresh during lengthy journeys by ship.

So, is momentum building among perishables exporters in Africa to shift more of their shipments from air to ocean ?

Mr Bagalwadi said: “Right now, about 99% of our (perishables) customers in Africa still rely on air freight, leaving only a very small number moving goods by ocean. That’s mainly because of concerns around shelf life and reliability. However, we are seeing a willingness to shift to ocean. With innovations that extend product freshness and improve predictability, the 99% by air could be reduced to around 70% within the next 12 to 24 months.” 

 Pricing at destination markets also plays an important role in modal shift, Mr Bagalwadi added: “When auction prices are high, there’s a clear incentive to fly products quickly. But when prices are lower, ocean freight becomes the smarter option.

“Building trust in ocean logistics and demonstrating the value of our extended-shelf-life packaging will be key to driving this transformation.”