South Africa's apple and pear industry says inefficiencies at the Port of Cape Town have cost the sector around R1 billion in 2024, threatening market share in key export destinations. Industry leaders are calling for urgent interventions, including consideration of privatisation, to prevent further losses.
Executives from Two-a-Day, one of the country's largest apple and pear cooperatives, and logistics partner Link Supply Chain Management met with the Western Cape Department of Mobility on 11 August to discuss operational bottlenecks and visit facilities, according to an industry statement released by Tru-Cape .
'We work in a complex, time-sensitive value chain. If a vessel to Europe, the United Kingdom, or the Far East is missed, the sale is gone,' said Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing. 'Logistics is the single biggest risk for us right now.'