The returning Emirates’ direct flights from Adelaide to Dubai will open up new opportunities for South Australian exporters to benefit from a premium cargo service.
The service adds 98 tonnes per week of direct outbound airfreight capacity, improving efficiency and reducing freight costs, and also avoids delays and additional handling when transiting through ports such as Melbourne.
Daily Emirates flights in and out of Adelaide are expected to generate A$160 million per year in economic growth for South Australia, giving local industries, particularly fresh meat, seafood, dairy and fruit producers, rapid access to Middle Eastern consumer markets.
Trade and Investment Minister, Joe Szakacs, is confident that the increase in routes will contribute to the flourishing trade relations between South Australia and the UAE and promote better implementation of bilateral economic agreements.
He encouraged local exporters to take advantage of the opportunity to contact freight forwarders to book Emirates flights.
“This route is already allowing South Australia’s premium products to enter the UAE and Middle East cheaper, quicker and with less hassle,” said Szakacs.
A company that has already taken advantage of this direct flight route, is The Yoghurt Shop. The company is able to ship its stock to the Middle East market a day earlier for display, resulting in a 7 per cent increase in shelf time. It also has its premium products featured on Emirates’ in-flight menus.
COO of The Yoghurt Shop, Brandon Reynolds, said the speed of direct flights is vital for fresh products like yoghurt, and the company’s appearance on the Emirates flight is an important milestone for The Yoghurt Shop and a great opportunity to promote South Australian quality globally.
“Aligning with them helps further our mission of showcasing premium Australian yoghurt on an international scale,” said Reynolds.
In addition to the new Dubai route, South Australian live lobster exporters will further benefit as China Southern Airlines resumes direct flights to China next month, increasing its weekly air cargo capacity to 45 tonnes.
China is South Australia’s largest two-way trading partner, exporting $4.27 billion (+46 per cent) to the state.
In addition, the UAE is South Australia’s largest trade and investment partner in the Middle East, with exports worth $292 million a year, with meat exports alone contributing $39.5 million (+34 per cent).
Nearly a quarter (22.5 per cent) of Australia’s exports to the UAE enter the country by air, almost double the 12.5 per cent for all markets.
With Australia’s Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the UAE coming into force in the middle of next year, tariffs on more than 99 per cent of Australia’s exports will be eliminated, significantly increasing trade opportunities in the region.
South Australia’s exports have also reached a record high of $17.6 billion, benefiting from these new direct flights.
