The persistent issues at the port, including equipment breakdowns and labour disputes, have resulted in significant delays and financial losses for local farmers.
News24 details that, according to Hortgro, a fruit producer organisation, the estimated profit loss during the fruit season could soar to nearly R2 billion for pome and stone fruit alone.
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Despite efforts by Transnet to address the challenges, container movement improvements are still insufficient for the peak trading season, leaving farmers counting the cost of delayed exports and decreased fruit quality.
The fruit season, which was set to start in November, experienced a delayed beginning due to port problems. This delay has led to substantial slumps in cherry and pear exports, with vessels forced to redirect to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape to alleviate the export backlog.
Hortgro revealed that plans to clear the backlog by the end of January failed, prolonging the challenges faced by fruit producers.
The industry is grappling with not only financial losses but also a decline in the quality of exported fruit. Despite recent initiatives by Transnet to enhance port performance, the impact on this year’s fruit exports has been profound.