All efforts must focus on fixing performance at the Port of Cape Town ahead of the 2025/26 export season.
Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has emphasised that the rerouting of agricultural exports to Eastern Cape ports should be avoided during the upcoming 2025/26 export season, with a renewed, urgent focus on improving efficiency at the Port of Cape Town.
This follows recent insights indicating that significant volumes of agricultural produce had to be diverted due to operational challenges at the Port of Cape Town during the previous peak export period. It is estimated that approximately 55,000 tonnes of table grapes were rerouted, with additional impacts felt by the pome and stone fruit industries, including apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and cherries.
Minister Meyer said that such rerouting places severe financial strain on producers and exporters due to increased logistics and transport costs.
“A non-performing Port of Cape Town places a direct and unsustainable financial burden on our producers. Every delay and diversion erodes farm profitability, threatens export competitiveness, and places jobs at risk across the agricultural value chain.”
“The Western Cape’s export economy depends on a well-functioning Port of Cape Town. We cannot allow a repeat of the costly diversion of produce to other provinces. Our focus must be clear: improve efficiency, reliability, and coordination at the Port of Cape Town.”
The Department of Agriculture has been actively engaging with Transnet and key industry stakeholders to address the operational shortcomings that led to delays and backlogs. These engagements have prioritised:
- Improving equipment reliability and infrastructure performance;
- Strengthening labour and operational management;
- Enhancing communication between stakeholders; and
- Implementing contingency planning to prevent future disruptions.
In addition, organised agricultural bodies—including Hortgro, the South African Table Grape Industry, and the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum—have raised concerns about the cost implications of rerouting and called for urgent corrective measures.
Minister Meyer stressed that all stakeholders must now align behind a single goal.
“Every available resource and intervention must be directed at restoring optimal performance at the Port of Cape Town. The competitiveness of our agricultural exports and the sustainability of our farming communities depend on it.”
“Our Growth for Jobs Strategy requires an efficient, high-performing Port of Cape Town. Without a reliable port, we cannot unlock the export growth and job creation that our province urgently needs.We also need to accelerate greater private sector participation in the operation and management of the Port of Cape Town to unlock efficiency gains, investment, and world-class performance.”
The department continues to support farmers—particularly emerging producers—through programs such as the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Program (CASP), the provision of production-input funding, and extension services to improve planning and resilience to disruptions.
However, Minister Meyer warned that support measures alone cannot offset systemic logistics failures:
“While we will continue to support our farmers, the long-term solution lies in fixing the logistics ecosystem. Efficient port operations are non-negotiable for growth, job creation, and export expansion in the Western Cape.
The Western Cape Government will continue to work closely with Transnet, industry stakeholders, and national partners to ensure that the Port of Cape Town operates at the level required to support a globally competitive agricultural sector.
