The Mozambican government announced it was in talks with South African transport operator Transnet to reduce 'tariff disincentives' to use the port of Maputo, website Businessday.co.za reported.

Mozambican transport minister Paulo Zucula, claimed the company's high tariffs for the railway to Maputo were aimed at incentivizing the movement of minerals to Durban instead, the story reported.

While the topic is mainly targeted at the mining sector, the implications for horticulture are clear given northeastern South African fruit exporters have to choose between the two ports as well.

"What is happening is that the mining companies in SA pay high fees to use the railway to Ressano Garcia, which is intended to persuade them to use the port of Durban rather than Maputo," Zucala was quoted as saying in Mozambique's AIM news agency.

"Rather than pay that price, they prefer to come to Maputo by road, which is much cheaper."

Transnet spokesman Mboniso Sigonyela told the website the company was "one of the biggest supporters of the Maputo corridor" and would never charge more for rail transport than was charged by road hauliers.

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