Air Cargo

Ugandan Produce Exporters Face Capacity Crunch Despite Regional Growth

Fresh produce shipments from Entebbe are increasingly squeezed onto passenger aircraft belly cargo, creating unpredictable constraints for exporters even as African airline capacity outpaces demand growth. The African airline sector posted 6% cargo demand growth in 2025 against 7% capacity expansion, yet uneven distribution across routes and seasons limits relief for time-sensitive perishables. KLM's June suspension of Uganda service removed a key European connection. Uganda Airlines' London Gatwick route—launched May 2025 with four weekly flights—now serves as the primary direct passenger link for horticultural exports. Gulf carriers provide widebody alternatives through Dubai and Doha, with Emirates SkyCargo moving over 91,930 tonnes of African perishables in 2024. A single weekly freighter to Liege serves flowers and fish markets, while vegetable exporters depend on narrow belly capacity windows. Mashamba FFP, operating from Entebbe since 2001, has shipped more than 23 million kilos but now relies almost entirely on Uganda Airlines' limited bookings.