Just when you think things can’t get any worse – there’s another curveball thrown your way.
For the citrus industry it was last week’s truckers’ strike – and with the cold front hitting Cape Town this morning and working its way up the coast, port challenges are a likely outcome once again.
“At the start of the 2020 season we realised that there would be some difficulties in 2020,” says CEO of the Citrus Growers’ Association Justin Chadwick.
“As Covid-19 became a reality the CGA Covid-19 Response Committee identified as a high risk the fact that workers would become ill, putting pressure on operational performance on farms, in pack-houses, transport, cold stores and at the ports - all of which has put incredible pressure on all in the supply chain.
“The past few weeks however threw up some unexpected challenges – a diesel shortage combined with the truck violence which prevented many loads from being despatched to the ports.”
This, says Chadwick, will cause congestion once the loads start to flow again.
“The South African economy is on life support – these activities put it one more step towards the grave. It is time to take the strongest possible action to stop this criminal behaviour.”