SA’s citrus future depends on the logistics built today

In his 2026 State of the Nation Address (Sona), President Cyril Ramaphosa offered a rare moment of national consensus when he acknowledged one of South Africa’s triumphs: citrus. As lawmakers applauded the fact that the country is the world’s second-largest citrus exporter, the recognition felt deeply welcome.

However, the industry is equally, if not more, compelled by another aspect of the President’s address: not the celebration of past success, but the President’s renewed commitment to a future of logistics reform and a larger, more dynamic role for the private sector in this area.

South Africa’s citrus industry is swelling with possibility. Production continues its upward climb. Yet growth alone will not guarantee prosperity. Without a logistics system capable of moving fruit swiftly, safely and reliably – from rural orchards to global markets – even record harvests risk becoming wasted potential.

And the truth is that, should citrus production continue on its upwards trajectory, the current logistics network – comprising road, rail and port facilities – will not be able to handle the increase.

That is why the President’s pledge to “turn around the performance of our rail system and ports” signals a moment of opportunity. His stated commitment to advancing public-private partnerships through concession models that preserve public ownership while unlocking private expertise, represents one of the most promising shifts in our sector.

Evidence of this evolution is already visible in the joint venture between Transnet and ICTSI at Durban’s Container Terminal Pier 2, where most of South Africa’s citrus begins its journey to the world. The partnership is bringing expertise and steadiness to operations.

The recent bottlenecks at the Port of Cape Town during the deciduous fruit season have, however, reminded us how fragile the supply chain can be, and how further reforms are needed. As the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA), we remain convinced that private partnerships are the way forward.

But there is progress within Transnet Port Terminals itself. It has improved equipment availability and introduced new labour incentive systems in the past year. There were no serious problems at the ports during the past citrus season.

On the rail front, volumes for citrus have also ticked upward – 1,254 containers, up from 1,064 last year – very modestly, but meaningfully. It is far from a renaissance, but it is a beginning.

The potential of rail

The real economic potential lies in what rail could become. Three decades ago, rail carried the bulk of the citrus crop. Today, it moves around 5%. Yet train transport is not only more cost effective, but significantly greener. It is up to four times more fuel efficient than trucks. Rail can shift from a logistical afterthought to a competitive advantage.

While mining has long dominated rail planning and investment, citrus also offers one of the country’s most compelling growth opportunities in this area. The past season more than 203 million 15kg cartons of citrus were exported, and the industry has the potential to boost that to 260 million by 2032. Rail options – largely neglected outside the mineral corridors – can emerge as a viable path to unlocking our sector’s full promise.

When the President, relatively early in his Sona, stated that South Africa is “investing across our country in roads, bridges, rail lines, ports, dams, wind and solar farms”, he did not start this investment list randomly with “roads”. Roads and rural roads in particular are both the arteries and the Achilles heel of the agricultural economy. Citrus cannot arrive at ports in peak condition if it has been battered and bruised by the potholes along the way. Poor roads also damage trucks and multiply costs. Poor roads in effect “steal” from the progress being made in improving rural livelihoods.

Citrus industry remains optimistic

The recent floods in Limpopo also highlighted the primacy of road connection in rural economies. Limpopo is the heartland of South Africa’s citrus exports. Rural roads, as well as sections of the N11 and R36, are flood damaged and require urgent repair before the export season begins.

The citrus industry always leans into optimism. The CGA developed a web-based GIS mapping model to document, monitor and track road conditions, rehabilitation efforts and urgent repair needs across Limpopo. All data will be shared with officials at local, provincial and national levels, creating a transparent, coordinated mechanism. It is a model not of complaint, but of partnership – a recognition that solving South Africa’s logistics challenges requires collaboration.

Taken together, these developments paint a picture of an industry standing at the edge of extraordinary opportunity. The citrus sector is ready to grow, ready to export more, ready to employ more South Africans.

What it needs now is the logistics infrastructure to match its ambition. And for the first time in years, it feels as though government and industry are becoming more aligned in pursuit of the same goal: a modern, efficient logistics system that not only supports agricultural success, but strengthens the broader economy. DM