Air Transportation of Primary Products - Possibilities and Implications

The extensive use of aircraft for transport of freight during the war period has focussed attention on the possibility of transporting a greatly increased volume of civilian goods by air in future. Perishable agricultural products appear to be one class of commodities which have potentialities as air freight. Such an advance in marketing technology, if it becomes a reality, is likely to have a marked effect on the production and distribution of perishables. Several research agencies, conscious of possibilities in this field of transportation, have been conducting investigations during the past few years. Air transportation of primary products is, however, no longer in the blue-print stage. Large scale shipments of fruit and vegetables by air have already been made on a commercial basis. In the latter months of 1945, a regular service carrying 60,000 lb. of perishable produce per week was being operated between California and cities of Eastern United States using seven freight planes. Small shipments of fruit and vegetables have also been made in this country.