Global air cargo tonnages returned to growth in the third week of April, thanks in part to a surge in traffic from Central & South America (CSA), as flower shipments ahead of upcoming Mother’s Day events in large parts of the world made up for stalling demand from Middle East & South Asia (MESA) linked to the Muslim holiday of Eid, which marks the end of Ramadan.
According to an air cargo report from Dutch firm WorldACD Market Data, total worldwide tonnages rose by 3% in week 16 (15-21 April), after recording week-on-week (WoW) declines of -2%, -4% and -6% in the previous three weeks due to a combination of the effects of various holiday periods such as Easter and Eid resulting in subdued cargo booking levels. Average worldwide rates held firm at $2.50 per kilo in week 16, the same level as the previous week and the equivalent week last year. But that rate remains significantly above pre-Covid levels: +39% compared to April 2019.
Both Central and South America (CSA) (+16%) and Africa (+15%) recorded strong WoW increases in tonnages in week 16, WorldACD found. Most (84%) of the tonnage growth ex-CSA can be attributed to higher flower exports to North America, ahead of Mother’s Day in the USA and Canada on 12 May, with flower export tonnages ex-CSA up by around 40%, WoW – representing more than one third (1 percentage point) of the (+3%, WoW) worldwide growth in tonnages in week 16. But the tonnage growth ex-Africa was led by fruits & vegetables (31% of Africa’s WoW growth) and general cargo (29% of Africa’s WoW growth), whereas flower exports represented only 10% of the WoW growth for origin Africa.
Although around 90 countries or territories around the world celebrate Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May, analysis by WorldACD reveals that North America is by far the most important destination market for flowers shipped by air, consuming 63% of all the flowers flown from CSA and Africa in week 16 (and 92% of the WoW growth in flower exports from CSA and Africa combined).
