• Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • News
  • Lifestyle
Congestion at the Port of Cape Town is still causing deciduous fruit to leave the country much slower than is needed for these perishable exports. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Citrus, wine exporters smile as Cape Town port returns to normality

12th Sep 2020
Beef up your understanding of SA’s red meat industry

Beef up your understanding of SA’s red meat industry

28th Jun 2022
Nanotechnology can improve farming efficiency without the need for new infrastructure. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Tiny nanotech will have a huge impact on agriculture

28th Jun 2022
It is now the second day of the Rural Safety Summit, attended by the police and various agricultural organisations. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Safety summit: Will it be a turning point?

28th Jun 2022
Reggie Kambule from Villiers in the Free State runs a 185 hectare farm where he breeds livestock and cultivates maize. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

28th Jun 2022
Malose Mokgotho, president of the South African Agricultural Graduates Organisation, unpacks why agricultural graduates are not finding jobs. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

SAAGA on a mission to speak for exploitable graduates

28th Jun 2022
Rural safety is in the spotlight at a summit currently underway in the Free State. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Rural Safety Summit ‘will fail without action plan’

28th Jun 2022
Reports of the Land Bank’s use of force to allegedly intimidate and liquidate farmers is another instance of the Bank’s lack of empathy, unwillingness and inability to assist commercial and emerging farmers believes South African politician Noko Masipa. Photo: Supplied/AdobeStock

Lack of legislative support threatens SA’s food security

27th Jun 2022
Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

27th Jun 2022
Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

27th Jun 2022
On Monday, 20 June 2022, 35 farmworkers were injured when the truck that transported them to work overturned on the R45 between Klapmuts and Simondium in the Cape Winelands. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

‘Inhumane farmworker transport must stop’

27th Jun 2022
MEC Bongiwe Sithole-Moloi visited the Ntathakusa Citrus Farm in eShowe on Friday, 24 June 2022. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

ICYMI: Career boost ahead for KZN agri graduates

27th Jun 2022
This week in agriculture definitely offers a few events worth bookmarking. First up is the Hostex expo, followed by the Tshwane Agri X Engage round table, Food For Mzansi Gather To Grow, a table wine event, and the second African food safety technical meeting. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

This week’s agriculture events: 27 June to 01 July 2022

27th Jun 2022
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
11 GLOBAL MEDIA AWARDS
Wed, Jun 29, 2022
Food For Mzansi
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
    • All
    • AgriCareers
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Farmers
    • Groundbreakers
    • Innovators
    • Inspiration
    • It Takes a Village
    • Mentors
    • Movers and Shakers
    • Partnerships
    Reggie Kambule from Villiers in the Free State runs a 185 hectare farm where he breeds livestock and cultivates maize. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    Real Housewife turns passion for wine into a business

    David Mthombeni is building an agriculture empire for his family.Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Farmer gets his hands dirty while building family empire

    Gauteng farmers give youth a leg-up in agriculture

    Women in farming give youth a leg up in agriculture

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Watch out, these young farmers are on fire!

    Unati Speirs has vast experience in agri-business strategy and business funding and was recently appointed as a new board director for Hortgro. Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Youngest Hortgro hotshot takes transformation to heart

    Prof Kennedy Mnisi a dedicated young man who wants to help livestock farmers with animal health education to prevent diseases. Picture. Supplied/ Food For Mzansi.

    Animal scientist works hard to earn top dog status

    Eastern Cape grain farmer Sinelizwi Fakade told Cyril Ramaphosa that limited access to funding continued to constrain young farmers. The president vowed to return to the province to fully engage with issues raised. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi

    Ramaphosa vows to address challenges faced by young farmers

  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought
No Result
View All Result
Food For Mzansi

Citrus, wine exporters smile as Cape Town port returns to normality

by Noluthando Ngcakani
12th Sep 2020
in News
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Congestion at the Port of Cape Town is still causing deciduous fruit to leave the country much slower than is needed for these perishable exports. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

The upcoming citrus export season could see a repeat of multiple costly logistical challenges if South Africa ports are not sorted soon. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

While choppy waters may have calmed at the Port of Cape Town, disruptions at the hands of the covid-19 pandemic have unmasked many challenges at the troubled port, say exporters of agricultural produce.

Exports of most agricultural products have been proceeding apace, with a reported 140 million cartons of export approved citrus crops on their way to foreign markets and the wine industry also happy to resuscitate their international business.

Under harder lockdown alert levels, the port was running below capacity, causing the export logistics industry headaches because of vessel delays and bottlenecks.

ADVERTISEMENT
Cape Town port manager Mpumi Dweba-Kwetana. Photo: Supplied

Amid the easing of restrictions under lockdown level two, operations have since normalised with covid-19 positive cases among port staff reduced to a manageable level. Things are looking up, confirms port manager, Mpumi Dweba Kwetana.

“May the terminal continue to take its performance to new heights and encourage the return of more container business to the Port of Cape Town,” she says.

READ MORE: Cape Town port crisis throttling agriculture exports

The situation has improved significantly, but the road to recovery is going to require much needed improvements and careful planning to mitigate challenges ahead, says operational manager of the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF), Werner Van Rooyen.

“Covid-19 is an unknown phenomenon which we couldn’t plan for. We didn’t know how it would manifest, we didn’t know how to approach it and also some of the measures that were implemented by government required us to definitely take hands and (collaboratively) work on it,” he says.

Wines of South Africa communications manager Maryna Calow. Photo: Supplied

“There were numerous challenges, but with successful engagement with Transnet we mitigated most of them to some extent,” Van Rooyen explains.

Communications manager for Wines of South Africa (WoSA), Maryna Callow, says the month of July saw a good upturn in exports of wine. The wine industry is hopeful that momentum will continue for the rest of the year.

The wine industry had been the amongst the hardest hit casualties of the coronavirus, but since the lifting of the alcohol ban the sector seems set for a speedy recovery.

“Exports are looking good, if July figures are anything to go by, we feel positive that this month (August) will be also reflect positive figures. The port is pretty much operational on a level that we could say is normal.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Meanwhile the citrus industry is beaming as the season draws to a close, says chief executive officer of the Citrus Growers Association, Justin Chadwick.

The citrus industry has reached 90% of export season and has reached a record volume, Chadwick says.

“Markets have been strong because of the demand for vitamin C and the perception that it is a remedy for colds and flu and an immune booster,” he says.

Justin Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus Growers Association. Photo: CGA

The global pandemic, he adds, could have potentially put a strain on international consumer relations.

“We are still unsure about the quality on arrival of some of the consignments because they were terribly delayed, with problems mostly at the Port of Cape Town. We still have to do some assessment of quality impact by the end of the year.”

“In the past we have been able to deliver on time with exactly the right quality and this year that will be impacted by the delays,” says Chadwick.

Government lends a hand

A key concern remains with the Cape Town Multipurpose Terminal says Van Rooyen.

“We need to pre-plan as an industry together with government. We need to sit at a round table and plan for the future and the effectiveness of exports and economic growth in the fresh fruit industry.”

Pre-planning is the key to a sustainable future. “Regular engagement, sharing information, transparency and assisting and supporting each other along the value chain is very important,” Van Rooyen says.

Operational manager of the Fresh Produce Exporters Forum (FPEF), Werner Van Rooyen. Photo: LinkedIn

In order to improve the country’s export environment, the department of trade, industry and competition has launched the Export Barriers Monitoring Mechanism (EBMM) to provide support to exporters facing barriers.

In a recent media release by the department of trade, industry and competition Lerato Mataboge, director general of export development, promotion and outward investments, says by creating a systemic approach to monitoring barriers government can develop a long-term agenda to mitigate export challenges.

Travel restrictions as part of the national covid-19 lockdown wreaked havoc on the agricultural export industry and proved to be a logistical nightmare for many producers who raced against time to export fresh produce.

The EBMM was launched early this week.

“While our priority must be to work progressively to smooth these barriers, the experience of the last decade of trade has demonstrated that we need to be prepared to manage this growing complexity,” Mataboge says.

“Increasingly, a key component of global competitiveness will be how we manage a constantly changing global trading environment. Managing this environment will only be possible through a close working partnership between the government and the private sector.”

  • Edited on 12 September 2020 to correct export volumes.
Tags: CGACitrus Growers AssociationdticFPEFFresh Produce Exporters’ ForumJustin ChadwickLerato MatabogeMaryna CallowMpumi Dweba KwetanaPort of Cape TownTransnetWines of South Africa
Previous Post

Five things happening in SA agriculture today, 2 September 2020

Next Post

No ‘bluetooth farmers’ needed, says young cattleman

Noluthando Ngcakani

Noluthando Ngcakani

With roots in the Northern Cape, this Kimberley Diamond has had a passion for telling human interest stories since she could speak her first words. A foodie by heart, she began her journalistic career as an intern at the SABC where she discovered her love for telling agricultural, community and nature related stories. Not a stranger to a challenge Ngcakani will go above and beyond to tell your truth.

Related Posts

Pomona Fruit is still sending produce to Russia, where a lucrative gap has developed since the start of the war with Ukraine. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Fruit exports: Russian trade gap now a major advantage

by Tiisetso Manoko
7th Jun 2022
0

South African citrus exports to Russia are down almost 70%. The local farmers who kept up exports despite having to...

Fresh produce terminals in Durban packed with grapefruit. Photo: Faisal Asmal/CGA

Why have farmers stopped sending grapefruit to China?

by Staff Reporter
26th May 2022
0

Should farmers take the risk of shipping fruit to China when the market is subdued due to renewed Covid-19 lockdowns?...

Citrus protest: Residents of Kirkwood gather on the gravel road near Moses Mabhida township. Protesters have been interdicted from entering several farms in the Sundays River Valley. Photo: Bonile Bam/New Frame

Citrus protest: Packhouses empty, signs of sabotage

by Staff Reporter
9th May 2022
0

A major part of the citrus industry in the Eastern Cape is still at an impasse over a labour dispute...

Proposed EU regulations threaten the export of Southern African oranges to the region. Voting on the regulations will happen later this week. .Photos: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Anxiety mounts for orange growers ahead of EU vote

by Duncan Masiwa
25th Apr 2022
0

As the EU prepares to vote on new regulations for oranges from South Africa, local growers are nervous that members...

Next Post
Bush Masiu says he is a successful Free State farmer because he is not a 'bluetooth' farmer. Picture: Supplied.

No ‘bluetooth farmers’ needed, says young cattleman

Reggie Kambule from Villiers in the Free State runs a 185 hectare farm where he breeds livestock and cultivates maize. Photo:Supplied/Food For Mzansi
Farmers

Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

by Tiisetso Manoko
28th Jun 2022
0

INSPIRATION: Former chemical engineer, Reggie Kambule, had big boots to fill when he took over from his father to co-run...

Read more
Malose Mokgotho, president of the South African Agricultural Graduates Organisation, unpacks why agricultural graduates are not finding jobs. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

SAAGA on a mission to speak for exploitable graduates

28th Jun 2022
Rural safety is in the spotlight at a summit currently underway in the Free State. Photo: Supplied/Food For Mzansi

Rural Safety Summit ‘will fail without action plan’

28th Jun 2022
Reports of the Land Bank’s use of force to allegedly intimidate and liquidate farmers is another instance of the Bank’s lack of empathy, unwillingness and inability to assist commercial and emerging farmers believes South African politician Noko Masipa. Photo: Supplied/AdobeStock

Lack of legislative support threatens SA’s food security

27th Jun 2022
Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

Agripreneur 101: Sweet success for jam producer

27th Jun 2022

NC budget highlights: Five agri projects to watch closely

North West welcomes newly trained potato farmers

Farmer gets his hands dirty while building family empire

ICYMI: Zondo releases report on Vrede Dairy Project

Safety summit: Will it be a turning point?

FMD outbreaks in Free State, Gauteng contained

THE NEW FACE OF SOUTH AFRICAN AGRICULTURE

With 11 global awards in the first three years of its existence, Food For Mzansi is much more than an agriculture publication. It is a movement, unashamedly saluting the unsung heroes of South African agriculture. We believe in the power of agriculture to promote nation building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

Beef up your understanding of SA’s red meat industry

Tiny nanotech will have a huge impact on agriculture

Safety summit: Will it be a turning point?

Engineer-turned farmer takes pride in good results

SAAGA on a mission to speak for exploitable graduates

Rural Safety Summit ‘will fail without action plan’

  • Our Story
  • Contact Us
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright

Contact us
Office: +27 21 879 1824
WhatsApp line: +27 81 889 9032
Marketing: +27 71 147 0388
News: info@foodformzansi.co.za
Advertising: sales@foodformzansi.co.za

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Changemakers
  • Lifestyle
  • Farmer’s Inside Track
  • Food for Thought

Copyright © 2021 Food for Mzansi

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
Go to mobile version