Airfreighted exports of respiratory products shot higher in March. Photo / NZ Herald
Airfreighted exports of respiratory products shot higher in March. Photo / NZ Herald
The Covid-19 pandemic fuelled a near 400 per cent increase in airfreighted exports of New Zealand respiratory products through Auckland Airport in March, the company said.
All up, there was a 318 per cent increase in year-on-year growth in airfreighted respiratory equipment in March, Auckland Airport said.
Exports of respiratoryproducts were up 393 per cent, while imports rose by 68 per cent, year-on -year.
NZX-listed Fisher and Paykel Healthcare said last month it was focused on meeting increased demand for its respiratory products, which were being used in the treatment of patients with Covid-19.
Auckland Airport said overall cargo fell by 11 per cent - driven mostly by 28 per cent drop in volumes to and from China - in March.
"The lockdown in China and the closure of the border for mainland Chinese not only hit cargo capacity but flowed directly through into consumer demand for food ingredients, milk powder, fresh milk, lobsters and mussels," Scott Tasker, Auckland Airport general manager aeronautical commercial, said.
Airfreighted exports of chilled lamb grew over the month.
"Traditionally lamb is exported by sea, but by using air freight exporters can capitalise on peak seasonal demand for high quality, chilled lamb products," Tasker said in a statement.
A total of 941 tonnes of chilled lamb was flown to overseas markets, with some big growth into Canada, up 63 per cent.
Canada was also the destination of choice for live bees – honeybees and queen bees – with a 28 per cent growth in volumes.
Tasker said that come down to Air Canada's new seasonal direct flight between Vancouver and Auckland adding cargo capacity.
"Most airfreight flies in and out of New Zealand in the belly-hold of passenger services, so any increase in route frequency or destinations has a much wider impact beyond tourism," Tasker said.
Exporters took to the air the month of March. Photo / NZ Herald
Meanwhile maritime shipping, which was severely disrupted by the outbreak, is showing signs of stabilising, supply chain company Kotahi - which acts for most of New Zealand's biggest exporters - said.
"New Zealand exporters are currently enjoying stability in the local supply chain and access to shipping services into key markets such as South East Asia and the Americas, with some reduction of services into North Asia," Kotahi chief executive David Ross said.
"Looking to June and July, the current outlook is a reduction in shipping capacity of around five per cent to both the Americas and South East Asia and up to 15 per cent into North Asia," he said.
This was manageable compared to the 25 per cent capacity reductions on East-West (Europe–Asia –Americas) trades that non-New Zealand exporters are currently facing, Ross said.
Ross said local exporters have started to see surcharges being applied by some shipping lines out of New Zealand, and all exporters are seeing cases of congestion charges in a few destination markets where ports are still in gridlock.
