Rainy season affects southbound cargo volumes

A prolonged rainy season has impacted the movement of agricultural goods from northern SADC countries, John Wheadon of Falcongate Logistics reports. “We’ve got an abundance of northbound traffic to Malawi, all South African goods, but we are having to park the trucks until agriculture products pick up after the late rainy season. We’re normally busy mid-year,” Wheadon said. Falcongate transports a gamut of products from cotton and tobacco to timber and tea. “We’re moving a lot of commodities, tobacco which is delayed because of the rains, grains also – all breakbulk,” he said. Although Falcongate’s transport work is 100% overborder, imminent South African work visa requirements for foreign drivers won’t affect operations. July 1 saw the implementation of a law that has been in the books for over two years, but has not been enforced up to now. The department of home affairs has stated that all foreign drivers driving SA-registered vehicles must be in possession of an SA work permit – or proof that they have actually applied for one. “All our Malawian trucks have Malawi drivers, our Zimbabwe trucks have Zimbabwe drivers. They come to South Africa to drop off, and go back,” Wheadon said. Once the harvest is in, shipments may be down due to the worldwide recession, but there’s no danger that clients’ food commodities won’t find markets. “I don’t think the whole planet will stop wearing t-shirts made from cotton or stop smoking,” Wheadon remarked.