The country’s Horticulture Development Council (HDC) has urged exporters to use regional airfreight hubs in Africa, which will then enable them to find different carriers, such as Qatar Airways Cargo, Ethiopian, or Emirates to export to Europe.
HDC’s chief executive, Linda Nielsen, told local media that the sector had experienced severe capacity cuts.
“For 27 years, KLM has provided a critical link to our largest market destination, Amsterdam, which serves as a gateway for Zimbabwean produce into the broader EU market.
“Airfreight services across the African continent have been affected by evolving EU carbon emission regulations and operational constraints within airline fleets.
“In our case, a decline in the production of key export crops such as peas and flowers during the 2022/2023 season reduced Zimbabwe’s negotiating power for scarce cargo space. This led to KLM/Martinair’s temporary reduction of flights to Harare in February 2024. Although flights were later reinstated, this served as a wake-up call for industry.”
Production costs for exporters are on the rise, she added, adding to their challenges.
This could lead to a rise in the use of ocean freight, suggested Clarence Mwale, head of agricultural development company Kuminda.
“This is a turbulent start to 2025 export season with KLM announcing the cessation of freight operations to Harare. It’s not so good for our Netherlands and rest-of-EU deliveries, but markets have been pushing for more ocean freight. Maybe it’s time to reposition ourselves for more and early ocean freight,” he said.
According to Fruit Logistics, which opens in Berlin on 7 February, Europe is seeing higher perishables pricing. It noted: “Prices, in particular for fruit and vegetables, have continued to rise, making an above-average contribution to the higher cost of living. However, purchase volumes are not in decline.”
KLM has cited “operational challenges”, according to Zimbabwean media. The carrier noted frequent delays of up to 48 hours, cancellations and rescheduling. It added that the decision to end the service was influenced by the “short flight leg, lack of local maintenance facilities, and unstable freight”.
A spokesperson for KLM/ Martinair Cargo told The Loadstar: “The suspension of freighter operations between Amsterdam and Harare reflects AFKLMP’s strategic network realignment in response to evolving economic, operational, and market conditions.
“This decision is not solely linked to Zimbabwe but is part of broader capacity challenges affecting the entire Eastern Africa region. Limited southbound demand into South Africa has impacted the viability of freighter operations, while increased demand for perishable exports to the Middle East has further constrained available capacity to Europe.
“Despite these challenges, we remain committed to serving Africa through our optimised freighter routes via Johannesburg and Nairobi, supported by ample belly capacity on Air France and KLM passenger flights.”
Post published in: Featured