Stone fruit producers have been forced to unpack export containers and sell fruit locally due to high winds disrupting vessel loading in the Port of Cape Town.
Fruit producer Hortgro says frustration about the delays has reached “boiling point” at the height of the fruit export season.
Hortgro said in a statement that the delays had resulted in massive financial losses as some containers could not be loaded onto vessels in time for export and had to be loaded onto a later vessel.
News 24 reports that in one case 372 containers were left behind because they could not be loaded in time, according to Hortgro.
“The next vessel short-shipped 111, including 78 reefers. More than three weeks later, the last of these containers will hopefully be shipped on (another vessel) but the damage has been done,” said Hortgro.
It said growers would have to foot the bill for fruit that reached export markets in poor condition, with the value of the last consignment estimated to be more than R20 million.
“South Africa is suffering reputational damage and rapidly losing market share in foreign markets to competitors such as Chile. Its reputation as a reliable, on-time supplier of top-quality fruit is heading for the gutter,’ Hortgro said.
It said containers had been diverted to Eastern Cape ports and Durban, at an additional cost of R35m, to avoid delays.
Hortgro chairperson Charl Herbst said he had sold his stone fruit locally to cut his losses. He said farmers could not afford another year of losses due to logistical delays.
“After short shipments on two vessels, I had to extract my fruit from the container stack at the Cape Town container terminal and sell it on the local market in an attempt to minimise the financial loss,” he said.
“What we have witnessed may well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and forces growers out of business. This will have a significant negative impact on the rural and national economy and job security.”
According to TPT, 388 hours were lost at the Cape Town container terminal due to heavy winds in November, while a total of 327 hours were lost in December.
“Between November and December last year, when the container terminal experienced extreme wind speeds, five European Union-bound vessels were redirected to Ngqura and Port Elizabeth container terminals,” TPT said.
The terminal operator said it was committed to moving 2 000 containers every 24 hours and that it had implemented recovery operations to assist during windy conditions.
