Fresh business for Kenya’s Kisumu Airport

Kenya’s Kisumu International Airport is branching out to handle fresh produce with the inaugural flight scheduled for January 8.

This follows expansion of the airport – located on Lake Victoria – to encompass a cargo handling and cold storage facility through a Public Private Partnership (PPP), reported the Government-run Kenya News Agency.

The cold storage facility, owned by a local investor, will help the airport establish a robust cargo division and cold chain logistics.

Target commodities include avocados, fish, chilies, pepper, mangoes, pineapples, peanuts, traditional green vegetables and organic beef.

Kisumu Lakefront Development Corporation (KLDC) chairman, Edward Ouko, said the facility will unite cargo airlines, freight forwarders, farmers, fish traders and airports to identify and generate new business opportunities.

He spoke after a meeting with various stakeholders at the airport. This meeting brought together representatives from Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), Kenya Airways (KQ), Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services (KEPHIS), Fresh Produce Consortium of Kenya (FPCK) and Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

“The development gives hope to farmers and fishermen in this area and signals a pragmatic approach to cooperation, grounded in the priorities of the Kenyan Government at the national and regional levels,” Ouko said.

Last year, the Kenyan government allocated Sh1.2bn to expand Kisumu International Airport.