Chidiebere Onyishi
In October, 2025, Arik Air discontinued its operations in Jos, Plateau State. Interestingly, Arik Air was the only consistent option for moving strawberries out of Jos. Sadly, Value Jet – the only commercial airline operating from Jos, does not accept strawberries as cargo.
Notably, Nigeria produces around 3000 tonnes of strawberries per year. This is happening at a time considered as the peak harvest season for strawberries (November – February).
Join our WhatsApp ChannelConsequently, we are looking at significant losses in both revenues and tonnes of strawberries – owing to this collapse in the supply chain. Fresh strawberries survive only 1-4 days at room temperature. Little wonder, Adeola Balogun, founder of Limlim Foods Production Company, said “Nigeria built the strawberry value chain on a runway. The plane left, now the harvest has nowhere to go”.
Besides that, strawberries are as important as any cargo item, and have huge export potential, if/when the right frameworks are put in place. Farmers are facing enormous challenges, and put in a lot of work to have a successful harvest. Some of these farmers in Jos are young people and women who depend on strawberry farming to fund their education, and sustain themselves and their families.
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On the other hand, Nigeria imports strawberries from countries like Niger, South Africa and Ethiopia. Data from Air Cargo week states that Nigeria imported about 178,918 kg of fresh strawberries worth approximately $364,000 in 2023.
Times Aerospace also reported that Nigeria, Mauritius and South Africa together, were among the largest strawberry importing markets in Africa, accounting for 53% of total imports. This points out that Nigeria’s strawberry production is for domestic consumption. One wonders if it is our inability to meet demand generally, or the failure of the government to provide needed infrastructure and support, hence the decision to import. This current crisis will undoubtedly result in more imports moving forward, spending scarce forex, and displacing local farmers who invest so much in production.
Before Arik Air suspended operations in Jos, air cargo costs exceeded what farmers were paid per kg of produce. Logistics cost more than the fruit itself – which was a necessary sacrifice, given the absence of viable options.
Now that that option has become unavailable, the only other option is road transportation – which is laden with a great deal of risks. These risks included but are not limited to: highway insecurity, poor road conditions, multiple checkpoints/delays, traffic congestion, lack of refrigerated transport vehicles, and issues regarding careful handling of such delicate fruit.
Previous attempts at road transport resulted in 20% – 30% losses in damaged fruits during shipments. These infrastructural and security challenges pose a dire threat to the value chain and survival of strawberries in Nigeria. Unfortunately, farmers may be left with no choice but to rely heavily on local hawkers along the highways, and selling more for less – as they are unable to reach premium markets owing to logistics failure. This has a ripple effect on businesses dependent on its availability, as they are likely to lose customers.
For instance, Hotels, lounges, restaurants, individual brands, and clubs that serve/sell Strawberry Smash, Smoothies, Strawberry Daiquiri will not be able to use original strawberry fruit due to unavailability. So they resort to using strawberry syrup instead – which isn’t how it should be.
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture is duty bound to step in to prevent this situation from sinking any further. Nigeria has the climate, land and farmers to grow strawberries, so the federal government has no excuse for this continued deterioration. We have the capacity but yet lack needed infrastructure and government assurance. Nigeria’s strawberry industry is valued at approximately $2 million with local markets as primary focus – we have the potential to grow this even further.
As it is, this provides a strategic opportunity for Airpeace, Nigeria’s leading domestic carrier. Most Nigerian airlines rely on cargo operations for revenue generation. Air Peace has an extensive route network, cargo infrastructure, brand capacity and trust, and can implement cold chain protocols.
Although agric cargo is still growing, the potential is limitless and Air Peace faces virtually no competition for agricultural cargo on Jos routes, as ValueJet does not accept perishable produce. This is outside of the fact that November to February is peak season in the strawberry market, and Airpeace can tap into the consistent seasonal demand. They should consider accepting strawberry cargo on Jos-Lagos, Jos-PortHarcourt, Jos-Abuja routes. By meeting domestic demand and quality standards, it would be a crucial step into potentially exporting the produce, generating additional revenue, and competing in the regional/international market.
However, it is imperative to note that risks of inaction are enormous. Instances are; complete loss of this season’s harvest and income, failure to repay loans, loss of jobs and existing value chain, import dependency and foreign exchange spending, increase in crime rate, loss of interest in agriculture and entrepreneurship, food insecurity.
Clinical research suggests that eating one serving of eight strawberries a day can improve heart health, digestive health, and brain function, manage diabetes and reduce risk of some cancers and inflammation. It’s also an excellent source of vitamin C, contains less sugar than an apple, and half the calories of a banana – among other health benefits.
An emergency intervention has to be declared and this issue must be tackled immediately. The government could also consider granting subsidies on agricultural cargo transport, and reduced tax incentives for airlines carrying agricultural cargo.
