Japan’s largest airline ANA Holdings is aiming to capitalise on increased demand for the country’s fresh produce exports from its neighbour Hong Kong, in a bid to boost its cargo shipments, Bloomberg reports.
As the wealth of the average consumer has increased, Hong Kong has begun stepping up its imports from Japan, including oranges, cherries and other premium food products.
The growth in demand is prompting ANA to increase its cargo flights to the region. The airline is improving its transportation efficiency by eschewing Tokyo in favour of is cargo hub in Okinawa, southern Japan.
“Japanese seasonal fruits have a reputation for high quality in Asian countries,” Akira Okada, the head of cargo for ANA, told Bloomberg. “In the future we want to be able to provide next-day delivery to the Chinese mainland as well. There are a lot of rich people in China.”
The desire to capitalise on growing demand for fresh produce exports comes as cargo shipments of electronic goods such as televisions have slumped.
