By Antynett Ford

Reports blaming falling fresh produce exports on freight space shortages have been contradicted by airport agents, who say airfreight space remains fully available with no queuing. They confirm, however, that the fall in export volumes last year, which saw some airlines exit, pushed up freight prices.

Freight agent Cherono Risper, based at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), confirmed that “there are no shortages. There is space. There are no queues.” However, freight rates have risen from between $1.90 and $2.00 a kilogram in 2023 to between $2.30 and $3.57 per kilogram in mid-2025 – an increase of 21 to 88 per cent, depending on the airline and route.

The sharp rise in freight costs followed a 54.7 per cent drop in Kenya’s fresh vegetable exports, which fell from 164,100 tonnes in 2023 to just 74,300 tonnes in 2024, according to the latest Economic Survey. Export values also halved, from $340 million to $156 million.

As a result, Qatar Airways withdrew two freighters from its Nairobi–Liège route, cutting 200 tonnes of weekly capacity. Magma Aviation dropped its Brussels-bound Wednesday flight, removing a further 100 tonnes, while Turkish Airlines ended a freighter to Maastricht, and CargoLux has reduced its Amsterdam frequency, cutting another 100 tonnes. Airflo, meanwhile, has instructed exporters to cut volumes, removing 300 tonnes from its own airfreight capacity.

The 700 tonnes-a-week capacity cut, totalling some 36,000 tonnes a year is still far less, however, than the fall in exports, meaning that there are no space shortages for continuing exporters, but their route options are now narrower.

This flight cancellations have left Kenya Airways, Ethiopian Airlines and Qatar Airways (operating limited passenger flights) moving fresh produce to Europe.

Kenya Airways remains the cheapest option, charging up to $2.30 per kilogram, but with limited cargo space. 

“Asia-Europe routes are the most expensive,” said Cherano, reaching as high as Sh1,033 ($7.90) per kilogram, particularly where produce requires connections or transshipment.

Despite these changes, Cherono stressed that freight space is currently fully fluid and accessible. “The problem is not space,” she said. “It’s the cost. When the rates are high, everything else goes up to balance.”

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The rate rises have hit low-volume exports disproportionately, with consignments over one tonne freighted at discounted rates. This has added a further profitability pressure for horticultural exporters already experiencing declining production.

Freight options now available and current rates

As of June 2025, exporters have the following freight options: