AIR Tanzania Co. Ltd (ATCL) direct cargo routes to Guangzhou commercial hub in China is a historic moment for the horticultural industry, a top official says.

Dr Jacqueline Mkindi, the Tanzania Horticultural Association (TAHA) chief executive officer, said at a press conference here yesterday that the new cargo link offers substantial opportunities for exporters.

“This flight connects Tanzanian exporters with a competitive and unconventional market, providing swift and reliable access,” she stated.

She urged Tanzanian exporters to take advantage of the Boeing 767 competitive pricing and cargo capacity to penetrate China's growing demand for fresh produce.

This new route enhances gains made in the wake of a visit to China by President Samia Suluhu Hassan in November 2023, pursuing initiatives to tap into China’s $174m avocado market.

The efforts were part of plans to transform Tanzania’s horticultural sub-sector into a major foreign exchange earner, she said, citing the wider vision of increasing horticultural exports to $2bn annually by 2030.

Current exports earn $420m, with large increases potentially generating substantial employment for youth and women along the value chain.

 “The direct flight advantages both Tanzania and China by reducing transport times and ensuring fresh avocados reach Chinese consumers promptly,” she enthused.

Earlier, sea transport of 24 metric tonnes of Hass avocados took 22 days to reach Hong Kong from Mombasa while direct flight cut this duration to one day, enhancing delivery speed and produce quality, she explained.

She hailed the role of TradeMark Africa (TMA) and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) in assisting with improving market access for the produce.

“Together, we're creating new opportunities and paving the way for a brighter future for Tanzania's agricultural sector,” she stated.

With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, China is now set to become the primary destination for Tanzanian avocados, eclipsing earlier reliance on European and the Middle East markets.

As Africa’s third-largest avocado producer, Tanzania has faced challenges in accessing global markets owing to sanitary and phytosanitary guarantees, whose resolution opened the link to Chinese markets.

The inaugural direct flight from Dar es Salaam to Guangzhou took off on January 12, with a capacity of 54 tonnes and a 10-hour flight range.

Officials say the Boeing 767 freighter is ideally aligned with Air Tanzania's mission to enhance the country’s trade through swift and dependable logistics, where last month Air Tanzania secured authorization from China’s Civil Aviation Administration (CAAC) to commence direct flights to Guangzhou.

This approval followed historic shipment of Tanzanian organic avocados to China on November 18, 2024—two critical developments that stakeholders anticipate will yield significant financial benefits for farmers and exporters, she added.