South Africa’s main fruit industry entities, Hortgro SATI and FPEF, together with Transnet, shared a joint statement about their continued engagement both at a strategic and operational level, specifically at the Port of Cape Town as the deciduous fruit export season ramps up. 

Meetings continue weekly to exchange information on expected fruit flows and the status of port operations throughout the season, specifically during the peak of the stone fruit, table grape, and early pear season.  

Regarding the deciduous fruit industry’s concern about the physical flow of products through Cape Town this coming season, Transnet’s management - the largest and most crucial part of the freight logistics chain in South Africa - committed to better planning, sourcing additional equipment, on-site maintenance capacity, and increasing availability of spares. 

Transnet shared its preparation plans and listed several items for industry feedback. These focus areas involve optimizing the port as a delivery platform, combating adverse weather conditions, improving truck operations, optimizing marine services, improving information sharing and port operations visibility, terminal equipment and port infrastructure, personnel, and crisis management.