Scottish salmon exports through Prestwick Airport have reached 60 tonnes on peak days as direct cargo links between Scotland and China continue to expand.
In an interview with The Herald, incoming Prestwick Airport chief executive Jules Matteoni said the airport is considering expanding its salmon export handling capacity amid growing demand.
“Some days, salmon exports are reaching 60 tonnes,” Matteoni said.
Prestwick currently operates 15 weekly cargo flights to and from mainland China. The airport said salmon and other seafood are transported on return flights after inbound e-commerce shipments.
Cargo service business manager Sean Scott told the newspaper that Prestwick has handled 1.5 million kilograms of Scottish salmon exports since January.
Matteoni said the airport has invested in a dedicated cold-chain team and claimed Prestwick offers the UK’s fastest route for Scottish seafood exports to China.
He added that Chinese buyers were seeking additional volumes.
“We’ve met the buyers of the fish, and we’ve listened to them. What do they need? And we’ve brought that back,” said Matteoni.
“They want more.”
The airport reported cargo volumes of 43,000 tonnes in the year to March 2026, up from around 10,000 tonnes a year earlier, according to The Herald.