Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism
Question by:
Hon Noko Masipa
Answered by:
Hon Ivan Meyer
Question Number:
1
Question Body:
Interpellation 1
With regard to the commencement of the 2026 Western Cape citrus harvest and the ongoing geopolitical volatility in the Middle East:
- What strategic interventions is his Department coordinating with the Port of Cape Town to ensure that citrus exports from the province reach international destinations without significant delays during the 2026 harvest and export season;
- whether there has been progress on greater private sector involvement at the Port of Cape Town?
Answer Body:
- The Department participates in various platforms and initiatives aimed at improving the logistics and operations of the Port of Cape Town (PoCT). Some of the strategic intervention identified to date, include the Development of the Port of Cape Town Digital Logistics Planning Platform (DLPP) which is expected to provide key insights to port users (internal and external clients) on the performance of port and to coordinate activities. The DLPP monitors port activities in almost real time to inform timely interventions to any on any potential delays. Moreover, there are other research studies being conducted on the short- and long-term port potential efficiency gains given various interventions, also considering other ports in the province.
- While the management of Port of Cape Town does not fall under the mandate of the Department of Agriculture, it is fair to indicate that it has attended several engagements and meetings organised for the PoCT that involved various stakeholders including those from private sector. In addition, private sector, mainly commodity organisations, have made investments in the recent past that are aimed at improving port efficiency. Together with private sector, the department continues to monitor the development in the logistics sector. It is apparent that agriculture is affected when the ports are not functioning, therefore the department always support mandated departments and advocates the multi-stakeholder approach given the complexity of the Port logistics ecosystem.
Date:
Thursday, May 21, 2026
