Cold-chain bottlenecks, not airfreight, hold back African produce exports to the Gulf
Industry sources point to farm-level cooling, refrigerated road transport, and consolidation as the key constraints on African fresh produce trade with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman. Post-harvest losses across sub-Saharan Africa are estimated at 19.95%, and exporters are exploring sea freight for avocados, pineapples, and select other categories to reduce dependence on air capacity.
FreshPlaza: Cooling