It was once again a very challenging year on various fronts for the sector, especially with the continuing logistical challenges during peak seasons. This was exacerbated by the escalation of electricity cuts during the peak of the deciduous harvesting season. This report provides an overview of the PPECB’s activities and achievements during the period under review.

Whilst COVID-19 has certainly not disappeared, its devastating impact will still be visible for years to come. Business across the globe is, however, clawing its way back to some sort of normality without the benefit of a blueprint. To this end, the PPECB has adopted a hybrid working model, allowing employees to continue working remotely, where possible, provided that operations are not negatively affected.

The logistical challenges experienced in South African ports continued to put significant pressure on our already strained resources. Irregular loading cycles necessitated the PPECB to introduce 24-hour shifts at certain loading points. This somewhat alleviated the pressure and facilitated the movement of cargo through the value chain. I would like to thank our employees for their dedication and commitment as well as the flexibility they demonstrated during this time.

The continued electricity outages created additional challenges, especially in terms of product cooling cycles and ensuring the uptime and availability of digital platforms and devices. Whilst all major servers have been moved to the cloud to improve availability, operations at offices and the charging of devices remained a challenge. During the period under review, the PPECB invested in uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) for all its major offices across the country and is procuring suitable back-ups of all electronic devices to ensure minimal interruptions when it comes to service delivery.

Notwithstanding the above challenges, the industry has once again managed to export just more than 3.5 million pallets of perishable produce. A total of 170 million cartons of citrus were inspected for export, representing 3% above the PPECB’s budgeted expectation. Maize export continues to remain steady, with more than 3.4 million tonnes exported during 2022/2023. The European Union (EU) remains South Africa’s major trading partner for perishable produce, taking 34% of produce. Asia took 20%, the Middle East 15%, and the United Kingdom (UK) 12%.

The PPECB remains steadfast in its quest to support those in need. To this end, the PPECB again presented its annual Charity Golf Day, with 156 golfers participating. The event resulted in R60 000 being handed to the nominated charity. Through its collaboration with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and all nine provinces, the PPECB also managed to train 721 smallholder farmers and certified 105 as export-ready. The programme is specifically focused on Good Agricultural Practices, Food Safety, and the Responsible Use of Pesticides.

The PPECB also continued supporting communities through various programmes and established seven sustainable gardens, serving as a source of food and income. These programmes touched the lives of 3 968 beneficiaries during the year under review.