WHILE THE majority of agents are showing caution in futuristic predictions on perishable market growth, Renfreight's Cape export manager Keith Steeman is more optimistic.
I'll go along with the general figure of 10% likely in the upcoming season, he says, but we are experiencing an absolute explosion in different products, ranging from prickly pears to all types of citrus.
The deregulation of citrus exports has been a boon to the smaller exporter, who can now send his goods off freely. It's something we are really enjoying, so much so that within a year we will have our own dedicated department to handle the fruit and vegetable exports. Europe remains the main destination, but there is an increase in Far East traffic and while he does not see what can be described as a Ômajor awakening', new avenues are being opened, he says.
People are still cautious about transhipping perishables, in particular fruit. But some of the shipping lines are developing a good reputation in this respect and this is helping a great deal. Clementines to Morocco. That's one of our latest exports. It shows a total new trend in destinations for perishable exports, he says.
