The South African citrus sector has urged Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan to urgently fix the country’s rail network, as this is indispensable in boosting exports of their produce. SA Citrus Growers Association CEO Justin Chadwick urged Gordhan to announce a turnaround plan during his budget speech in parliament to fix the current freight rail network crisis that is threatening the future growth of the sector.
“Currently, large parts of the rail network are inoperable because of cable theft and a shortage of locomotives and rolling stock,” Chadwick said. “An optimally operating rail system has been identified as a key enabler to achieve the CGA’s vision of exporting 260 million cartons of citrus by 2032, which could sustain 100 000 new jobs and bring in an additional R20bn in export revenue annually.”
[ R1 = €0.05 ]
Source: freightnews.co.za