Fruit industry counts the strike costs

The South African fresh fruit
export industry, whose annual
turnover is reportedly in
the region of R950-million,
keenly felt the impact of
the recent rail and harbours
strike.
Forced to airfreight
produce at a little more than
five times the usual R10 per
kilogram charged by shipping
lines, the extra cost was
shared between producers
and customers.
“This meant that overseas
customers had to do
without our supplies and
that a number of contracts
with certain supermarkets
had to be cancelled,” said
Subtropical Fruit Growers’
Association CEO Derek
Donkin, adding that the
crisis had opened the door to
‘competition and reputational
damage’.