Fresh Notes: Packhouse Action Group (PAG) Meeting
Held on 4 August 2022
Website Feedback
Contact: Elise-Marie Steenkamp
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Logistics Chain Efficiencies
Contact: Jacques du Preez
- Hortgro, SATI, and FPEF appointed a consultant as a single point of entry for CT port.
- Ongoing engagement with Transnet and government on short-, medium-, and long-term strategies and operational issues.
Short-term issues:
- Information flow (to/from Transnet and others)
- 9th crane to be moved from Durban to CT (operational Oct?) – 3 berth operation
- Extra berth at Multi-Purpose Terminal
- Equipment: RTGs, feeders, mooring, maintenance
- Belcon (inland terminal)
- Booking system and operations
- Staff and labour matters: sharing, incentive, leave
- TNPA: tugs, pilot boats, helicopter, etc.
- Shipping: vessels omitting CT
- Shipping costs and potential for new lines
- Combine and coordinate efforts
- Private sector participation (likely first on equipment)
- Legislation and policy
- Legal framework and accountability
- Opportunity to facilitate more bulk reefer vessels (is there an appetite?)
Plastics Strategy
Contact: Dr Malcolm Dodd / Bryce McIntyre
- Suppliers are migrating to compostable PLU stickers.
- Environmental Producer Responsibility (EPR):
- If a supplier is registered to supply plastic packaging, the levy is included in the price for exported plastics.
- The producer pays the levy for packaging used on the local market. Further clarification is being sought.
- UK Plastic Recyclability Tax:
- 30% recyclability tax by UK retailers.
- If fruit is delivered to a UK depot, the SA exporter is classified as an importer and must pay the tax.
- Applies if more than 10 tons of plastic are exported annually.
- Rate: £200 per ton (18–34c/carton). Bubble wrap is the highest cost component.
- Recyclability vs. Compostability:
- Fruit South Africa is committed to the Plastic Pact, emphasizing recyclability (pome fruit).
- No large-scale composting facilities for compostable plastics in South Africa.
- Of UK retailers, only Tesco requires compostable packaging.
Fire Risk Project
Contact: Koos Bouwer
- Pierre Goosen, a mechanical engineer specializing in fire protection, has been appointed to manage the project.
- He will interview packhouses; the Chairman appealed for packhouses to make time and volunteer for participation.
- A report will be available in due course.
Market Access Feedback
Contact: Jacques du Preez / Lindi Benic
Mexico
- No pears shipped since regaining access, but there is interest this season.
- Mexican inspector must come to SA for pears.
- Request for in-transit cold treatment denied.
- Fumigation is approved in the protocol but not yet approved for use. Exporters interested in fumigation should notify DALRRD; appetite for fumigation will be tested at the next Joint Marketing Forum.
Taiwan
- Continuous requests for more information from Taiwan.
- Final information has been sent; awaiting feedback.
- Registrations for 2023 will be done before end 2022.
- PHCs & PUCs must comply with protocol requirements before registration.
- Stricter enforcement of registrations and protocol.
- Central training course to be compiled.
- Fixed deadlines for PUCs and PHCs.
- Training-related information was required this year.
- Non-compliance regarding interceptions requires monitoring, chemical spray, and training records; producers must supply information timeously as requested by Taiwan.
India
- 60-day WTO notification completed.
- Next step: Indian government to gazette (hopefully within a month, but no guarantee).
China
- Struggling with requirement: “If packaging boxes have air holes, insect-resistant gauze (mesh size <1.6mm) should be used to cover them to prevent pests.”
- Three options:
- Use cartons with no holes.
- Cartons with holes covered by gauze stickers.
- Gauze shroud over the whole pallet (trial shipment and prototype in progress; awaiting China GACC acceptability).
- First container to be shipped in the next week or two.
Thailand
- Communication received from Thailand on PRA.
- Technical response sent.
Kenya & Cameroon – SGS Inspections
- Engaging DALRRD on strategy and options.
- A collective meeting with DALRRD-FSQA will discuss pome fruit exporter concerns about SGS inspections.
- Exploring the possibility for DALRRD/SA to engage with Kenya/Cameroon for recognition of SA’s system, with PPECB as the government-assigned inspection body, regarding provision of the required certificate of conformance.
PAG Disciplines and Coordinators
Please contact the relevant person if you have any queries regarding the PAG.
- Chairman: Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za)
- Engineering: Henk Ryke (henk@tad.co.za), Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za)
- Packaging: Dr Malcolm Dodd (malcolm@alaceraer.co.za), Bryce MacIntyre (bryce.macintyre@kaapagri.co.za)
- Environmental Footprint: Eddie Vienings (eddie@bluenorth.co.za), Hugh Campbell (hugh@hortgro.co.za)
- Packhouse Large: Dawid Malan (dawid@tad.co.za), Francois Malan (francois.malan@cfg.co.za), Willem Coetzee (willem@dutoit.com)
- Packhouse Small: Hendrik Claassen (hendrik@bellafrutta.co.za), Vacancy
- Post-Harvest Quality: Dr Elke Crouch (elke@sun.ac.za), Henk Griessel (henkg@tru-cape.co.za), Jaco Moelich (jaco.moelich@fruitways.co.za)
- Logistics: Johan Strydom (pslog@mweb.co.za), Andy Connell (andy@abarc.co.za)
- Communication Strategy: Richard Hurndall (hurndallr@gmail.com), Koos Bouwer (bouweb@orangenet.co.za), Elise-Marie Steenkamp (elise-marie@hortgro.co.za)
- PPECB: Bernardus Henning (bernardush@ppecb.com)
- FPEF: Werner van Rooyen (werner@fpef.co.za)
- DALRRD:
- Director: Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Billy Makhafola (BillyM@daff.gov.za)
- Regional Manager: NPPPIS WC Directorate: Inspection Services, Gcobani Tsako (GcobaniT@daff.gov.za)
- Hortgro: Jacques du Preez (jacques@hortgro.co.za), Lindi Benic (lindi@hortgro.co.za)
- Research: Prof Wiehann Steyn (wiehann@hortgro.co.za)
- SIZA: Alistair Galloway (alistaire@siza.co.za)