The stone fruit season started on the back foot as industry leaders and farmers expressed frustration over the sluggish port operations. Concerns arose regarding the timely attention and delivery of produce, with a primary emphasis on ensuring that the quality adheres to market standards.
Hortgro executive director Anton Rabe said most of Transnet’s undertakings, including additional equipment, improved maintenance, spare parts availability, better planning, and sufficient labour over Christmas and New Year, did not materialise.
Not a good start
Rabe said that with wind delays, the industry kicked off the peak weeks of the stone fruit and table grape seasons behind schedule.
While the industry has threatened to take legal steps about the delays at the ports which have resulted in fresh produce quality being compromised, Hortgro told Food For Mzansi that they have not initiated that process as the negotiations are still ongoing.
“We believe that as an industry we have done everything we could to assist and support Transnet with accurate fruit flow projections and optimisation of the container flow into the port, but we have yet again been let down.
“This despite repeated efforts in December to sensitise management and labour to the needs of our industry and the complexities surrounding the peak season,” he said.
Rabe said the diversion of some vessels to the Eastern Cape ports to alleviate pressure in the Port of Cape Town (PoCT), is starting to yield some results, however, productivity remains way below international norms.
“We are hopeful that the greater urgency, transparency, and joint action created by this initiative will continue to increase throughput and that delayed exports will be caught up by the end of January 2024.”
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Partnerships are needed
“A logistical master plan for the Port of Cape Town with private sector participation will be looked at soon. Strategic level participation in the National Logistics Crisis Committee to ensure coordinated action between various sectors including grain, minerals, and the motor vehicle industry relating to medium to long-term solutions, including the procurement, funding, and fast-tracking of new equipment, will also continue,” he said.
According to Rabe, a solution is also required to ensure a longer-term lease for fresh produce terminals which will enable them to bring in additional equipment within a fairly short period. This could further alleviate pressure at different ports.
“Furthermore, Hortgro and the other industry associations are currently considering possible damages and legal actions against Transnet given that they are directly responsible for losses at farm level and their impact on the profitability of our industry, the risk of job losses and consequent destabilisation of rural communities.
“Ship-to-ship damages claims should follow fairly quickly, but a potential class action would be complex, lengthy and expensive given that the industry does not own the product. But producers must hold their service providers exporters, logistics companies, and shipping lines accountable, and they in turn hold Transnet accountable,” he explained.
Lasting solutions are key
Rabe said there must be consequences and accountability for poor performance.
Limpopo-based stone fruit farmer Dibesho Serage said despite the challenges they are facing as farmers, the stone fruit industry remains a lucrative business.
“Yes, many of the producers are facing huge challenges, especially at Port of Cape Town where the flow of produce is not flowing the way it is supposed to flow. I believe the industry and the government will be able to come up with a solution mainly looking at public and private partnerships.
“Obviously everyone in the industry, especially the exporters, will want to see the matter coming to rest as soon as possible and everything in the ports going back to normal,” he said.
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