The Dubai Flower Centre will create a complete cool logistics chain for the regional and international flower trade, officials have said.
The expansion of aviation, freight and logistics, aviation officials said, are creating new business opportunities for the young entrepreneurs.
Ram Menen, Emirates SkyCargo's senior vice president, told Dubai-based young entrepre-neurs last week: "Air cargo covers between five and ten per cent of the total logistics supply chain management in any supply cycle. Air cargo is important, however not everything. Air cargo is the engine that drives economic activities and developments.
Advancement in inventory management techniques will drive the change in the cargo industry.
"The cargo industry plays a critical role in any activity as it gets involved right from the procurement cycle to delivering the finished product onto the shop shelf.
"Air freight in today's globalisation is an enabler of trade. Delivery time to the retail shelf frequently separates winners from losers.
"African flower production is growing at a rate of 20 per cent. By developing Dubai Flower Centre, we are creating a complete cool chain to give flowers a better shelf life. Young entreprenuers in Dubai could benefit from the new opportunities created by its development."
He said aviation and air cargo in the Middle East is growing at a fast pace.
"World GDP is expected to grow between 2.7 and 2.9 per cent per year until 2023. The world air freight market is expected to maintain 6.3 per cent growth until 2023.
"However, global demand in perishable items is growing at a rate of 11.2 per cent. It is poised to grow at 16.7 per cent by 2010. Currently, the annual air transportation of perishables is about 15.4 million tonnes per year. By 2010, it will be 22.9 million tonnes," he said.
