The Zimbabwean government is set to develop a new air cargo hub at Harare International Airport to facilitate the transportation of exports to the world market, The Sunday Mail reported.

Obert Mpofu, the Minister of Industry and International Trade, said the hub will handle cargo to and from regional and international countries, which would enable countries to consolidate their goods before they are exported. Zimbabwe is expected to earn foreign currency from cargo hub fees.

He said the government would also establish a national cargo carrier as the absence has negatively affected the country's exports, particularly horticultural produce and other perishables.

"The absence of a national cargo carrier has serious transport cost implications and this is compounded by the fact that Zimbabwe is landlocked," said Mpofu.

He said preparations for the construction of the hub are already underway and that work on the project with interested parties was already in progress. Funding for the project is expected to come from the government under the National Export Strategy. He also added that establishing the hub would be a positive development in Zimbabwe as this would see the country raking in the much-needed foreign currency.

Developing the hub is an advantage to Zimbabwe as this would see the country generating a lot of foreign currency through landing fees for large aircraft from Asia, Europe and other regions which trade with countries in the region, service fees for packaging, packing, unpacking, repacking and consolidating the cargo from regional countries before their goods are exported, said Mpofu.

Source: Xinhua