Fruits & Vegetables by Air Freight to Turkey

Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: Air Freight as the Only Option

Fresh fruits and vegetables have a shelf life of days — not weeks. Products such as asparagus, strawberries, mangoes, or avocados from distant origins simply cannot be transported by sea without quality loss. Air freight is the only way to get fresh produce from the field to the supermarket within its product lifecycle.

The Netherlands is the logistics hub of the European fresh produce trade. The proximity to Schiphol Airport, the flower auction in Aalsmeer, and the large cold storage facilities in the Haarlemmermeer area make it the ideal hub for fresh air freight.

Popular Routes

• Kenya, Ethiopia → NL: French beans, sugar snaps, avocados
• Peru, Chile → NL: berries, asparagus, grapes (winter season)
• Morocco → NL: tomatoes, bell peppers (also by road)
• NL → worldwide: Dutch tomatoes, bell peppers, strawberries

Exporting to Turkey

Turkey is one of the Netherlands’ key trading partners just outside the EU. The country is part of a customs union with the EU for industrial goods, which greatly simplifies import procedures. Schiphol operates several direct cargo flights daily to Istanbul (IST) via Turkish Cargo — the market leader in air freight. Cargo-to-cargo transit typically takes 4–6 hours.

Customs & Regulations

The EU-Turkey customs union applies to industrial products: Dutch goods in free circulation can be cleared duty-free under an A.TR certificate. This customs union does not cover agricultural products — EUR.1 certificates or regular import duties apply here. For foodstuffs, cosmetics, and medical devices, TITCK and Tarim Bakanligi registrations are required.

Practical Tips

• An accurate A.TR certificate is essential for duty-free clearance — verify it for every shipment
• Consider inflation-related exchange rate fluctuations when pricing
• Documentation in Turkish or English works well — Turkish customs are largely digitized

Aircargo.nl works closely with Turkish Cargo and local agents in Istanbul to manage the entire document chain — including A.TR and EUR.1 certificates — ensuring optimal handling.

Key Considerations for Fruits & Vegetables Air Freight

Cold Chain

Fresh fruits and vegetables are extremely temperature sensitive. Depending on the product, the optimal transport temperature ranges from 0–1°C (berries, leafy greens) to 10–14°C (tropical fruit). Aircargo.nl arranges specialized cold cargo handling at Schiphol and monitors the temperature chain from start to finish.

Phytosanitary Inspections

All fresh products from non-EU countries undergo phytosanitary inspection upon entry into the EU, which can add 4–8 hours of processing time. Aircargo.nl notifies your shipment in advance to the NVWA to minimize delays.

Customs & Import Duties

Fresh fruits and vegetables fall under the EU Common Customs Tariff (CCT) and may be subject to high seasonal import duties—especially for products competing with EU-grown produce (tomatoes, strawberries, citrus).