Question NW57 to the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
18 March 2024 - NW57
Masipa, Mr NP to ask the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development
What is the (a) total cost of waste perishable fruit exports between 2019 and 2023, specifically at export destination delivery points due to port challenges and Ukraine-Russian conflict and (b) status update on the latest measures in place to expedite farmers' exports at ports and minimise losses for our farmers?
Reply:
a) The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) does not have information on the cost of waste perishable exports resulting from port challenges and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, there doesn’t appear to be any significant post export losses, judging by non-conformity reports we receive regularly from the European Union and other export destinations.
b) The role of DALRRD and its assignee, the Perishable Products Export Control Board (PPECB) is inter alia to ensure that farmers’ produce are harvested on time, appropriately packed and sent to ports for final export procedures where the PEPCB ensures that produce is correctly loaded, and vessels certified. Availability of port space and port efficiency as well as related logistics at the ports is the responsibility of the Department of Transport (Transnet).