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.