A NEW flight route from Canberra to Singapore is creating a tail wind for high value exporters based in regional NSW.
In September, Singapore Airlines landed its first passengers into Canberra with under-belly space for refrigerated freight products coming into Australia and similarly, opening doors for the artisan and perishable food producers to access boutique markets in South East Asia and New Zealand.
Exporters were previously shackled by the lack of cool-chain logistics between farms, processors and export freight depots. Singapore Airlines now has four flights per week into Canberra Airport then to Wellington, and on-ground logistics are improving for exporters to regularly use this service.
Madden’s Transport managing director Tony Madden, Harden, is key to providing refrigerated freight from farms and food manufacturers to the freight apron at Canberra Airport. His company’s 24 refrigerated trucks move perishable goods from the Riverina and Central West to export hubs in Sydney and Melbourne, as well as domestic logistics.
“At our Harden locations we have the transport depot, and the old abattoir we bought a few years ago has been refurbished into cold and freezer storage facilities for customers. We can freeze-blast a semi-trailer load of pallets between 24 to 36 hours and maintain the temperature from -10 degrees Celsius to -15 degrees Celsius indefinitely,” Mr Maddens said.
Mainfreight Perishables manager Lisa Harrison, Banksmeadow, is already using the service from Canberra to Wellington.
“We see significant potential for an air-freight hub from Canberra and undertaking preliminary studies regarding the establishment of a depot there,” Ms Harrison said.
”As we already provide freight forwarding services we can provide this service to new clients commencing their exporting activities.”
Mr Madden and Ms Harrison cited access to the Canberra airport as very easy compared to traffic problems getting into Sydney airport plus the lack of a curfew in Canberra.
“We can have produce loaded and inspected by Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, get to Canberra in one and a half hours, load it and in Singapore before morning,” Mr Madden said.
- On November 15, Regional Development Australia Central West is hosting a workshop in Orange for agribusinesses to discuss existing shortfalls in logistics and potential solutions to access local and export markets. Dr Hermione Parsons from the Institute of Supply Chains and Logistics at Victoria University is facilitating.
Pennie Scott
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
I am an independent scholar with interests and expertise in regenerative agriculture, equity and justice for farmers, functioning healthy landscapes and the culture in agri-culture. My aim is to inform holistically and honestly to ensure readers have access to what they need, now.
