Western Cape minister calls for urgent Port of Cape Town reforms to protect exports

SOUTH AFRICA – Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, has called for renewed efforts to improve efficiency at the Port of Cape Town to avoid rerouting agricultural exports to Eastern Cape ports during the 2025/26 export season.

During the previous peak export season, operational challenges at the Port of Cape Town forced the diversion of an estimated 55,000 tonnes of table grapes, with apples, pears, peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, and cherries also affected.

“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,” said Meyer.

Strategic Vision and Operational Challenges

Recent logistical failures forced the costly diversion of thousands of tonnes of fruit to alternative ports, threatening the financial stability of local farmers and exporters.

Therefore, to prevent a recurrence in the upcoming season, the government is collaborating with stakeholders to improve infrastructure reliability and labour coordination.

“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,” Meyer added.

Industry Collaboration and Future Outlook

The Department of Agriculture has been working with Transnet and industry stakeholders to address the operational issues that led to delays.

As a result, priorities include improving equipment reliability and infrastructure performance, strengthening labour and operational capabilities, improving communication, and implementing contingency plans.

Industry organizations, including Hortgro, the South African Table Grape Industry, and the Fresh Produce Exporters’ Forum, have also raised concerns about the cost of rerouting and have called for corrective action.

Minister Meyer said all stakeholders should focus on restoring port performance. “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.”

In the end, the province’s growth and job security depend on a seamless logistics ecosystem that preserves international export competitiveness.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates