South African cherry growers can now sell into China for the first time, opening a major new market for the country’s growing cherry industry.

Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp signed the market-access protocol with China’s General Administration of Customs in Beijing on 8 September. China imported about 586,900 tonnes of cherries worth US$3.3 billion in 2025, making it the world’s largest cherry importer.

For South Africa’s supply-chain industry, however, the interesting part starts after the agreement is signed.

Getting cherries from an orchard to a Chinese buyer requires a coordinated journey involving harvesting, packing, temperature-controlled logistics, road freight, export procedures, international shipping and distribution.

For a perishable product, every stage matters.

From Orchard to Packhouse

The export journey starts with producing fruit that meets the requirements of the destination market.

The new market-access protocol establishes the framework for South African cherries to enter China and forms part of the sanitary and phytosanitary arrangements governing agricultural trade between the two countries.

Once harvested, cherries need to move quickly through packing and preparation. The fruit then enters a temperature-controlled supply chain designed to maintain its condition while it travels towards the export gateway.

This makes logistics more than a transport function. Delays at the farm, packhouse, storage facility or during transport can reduce the time available for the rest of the journey.

The Journey to the Export Gateway

Where the cherries are grown will influence how they reach international markets.

South Africa’s cherry industry has expanded significantly in recent years, with planted area increasing from 185 hectares in 2012 to 819 hectares in 2024, according to industry body Hortgro.

As production grows, so does the logistics network needed to support it.

More fruit means more movement between farms and packhouses, greater demand for cold storage and additional transport capacity to connect production areas with export gateways.

The opening of China could therefore create opportunities beyond the growers themselves.

Then Comes the Export Process

Physical movement is only part of getting the cherries into China.

South African exporters also need to meet customs and origin requirements.

South Africa’s temporary zero-tariff arrangement with China came into effect on 1 May 2026. Qualifying exports can receive zero-tariff treatment if they meet the applicable rules of origin, although some tariff lines are subject to quotas.

SARS issues the Rules of Origin certificates required for qualifying exports. Exporters must also maintain the required documentation and comply with the scheme’s conditions to receive the tariff benefit.

For the supply chain, this means a shipment can be physically ready to leave South Africa but still be unable to move as planned if the documentation and customs requirements are not in order.

China is Only Another Link in the Chain

Once the cherries arrive in China, the journey is not over.

The shipment still needs to clear the relevant authorities, reach importers and move through China’s distribution network before reaching its final buyer.

That makes coordination across the entire journey particularly important.

A delay in South Africa does not simply mean a later departure. It reduces the time available for every stage that follows.

A New Market, And A New Logistics Opportunity

The Department of Agriculture expects the opening of the Chinese market to stimulate further investment in cherry production and estimates that it could create about 600 new jobs.

If production expands, the supporting supply chain will need to expand with it — from packhouses and cold storage to road freight, export services and international logistics.

That is what makes the agreement significant beyond agriculture.

South Africa now has access to a major new market. The next challenge is building a supply chain capable of getting those cherries there on time, in good condition and at a competitive cost.

Strong winds regularly disrupt operations at the Port of Cape Town, creating delays that can extend well beyond the harbour. Transnet is now considering wind shields, combined with improved weather forecasting and predictive modelling, as part of an effort to reduce these interruptions and keep cargo moving.

The proposal comes as the port continues to look at ways of improving its ability to operate during adverse weather. The focus is not on eliminating the effect of strong winds, but on reducing the amount of time they prevent equipment from operating safely.

That matters because lost operating time at a major port can quickly become a problem for exporters, shipping companies and businesses further along the supply chain.

Why Strong Winds Disrupt Port Operations

Much of the work at a container port depends on large pieces of equipment, including ship-to-shore cranes, operating safely.

When wind speeds reach certain levels, those operations may have to be restricted or stopped. The resulting delays can affect when cargo is loaded and unloaded and, in turn, when vessels are able to leave the port.

A disruption to one operation can also affect the schedule of others.

For exporters, the consequences can be significant. Cargo may already have been transported to the port, prepared for export and scheduled for loading. When operations are interrupted, those goods can remain in the system for longer, creating uncertainty around delivery times and additional pressure on transport and storage arrangements.

The Wind Shield Proposal

Transnet is considering wind shields as one way of reducing the impact of strong winds on port operations.

The concept is relatively straightforward: strategically placed barriers could reduce wind speeds in areas where equipment is operating, potentially allowing some activities to continue safely for longer during periods of adverse weather.

The objective is not to make the port immune to wind. Instead, the proposed infrastructure is intended to reduce the frequency or duration of stoppages caused by conditions that currently prevent equipment from operating.

That could give the port more usable operating time, particularly during periods when strong winds would otherwise restrict activity.

Forecasting Matters Just as Much

The physical wind shields form only part of the proposed approach.

Transnet National Ports Authority has been working with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) on a wind study and predictive modelling for the Port of Cape Town.

The work is designed to improve understanding of how wind conditions affect port operations and provide more localised information that can support operational decisions.

The Western Cape Government reported in February that the forecasting model had been tested and integrated into the port’s operational support system. The system provides localised wind forecasts and information intended to assist Port Control when making decisions about operations.

The practical benefit is better preparation.

Accurate forecasting can give port operators more warning of potentially disruptive conditions, allowing them to adjust operations and plan around periods of severe wind rather than reacting once a disruption has already occurred.

Why Exporters Feel the Impact

The effects of a port disruption are not confined to the port.

Take an agricultural exporter. Produce may have been harvested, packed, transported to Cape Town and prepared for loading onto a vessel bound for an overseas market. If strong winds interrupt operations, the shipment can be delayed even though every previous stage of the journey has been completed.

That delay can affect schedules, transport planning, storage and the timing of when goods reach their destination.

The Western Cape Government has highlighted fruit exports in particular when discussing the need to reduce weather-related disruption at the port.

For products where timing and condition are critical, improving the consistency of port operations can have a direct commercial benefit.

More Than an Infrastructure Problem

Wind is only one of the factors affecting port performance, which is why the proposed response goes beyond the construction of physical barriers.

The broader work includes forecasting, operational procedures and planning for periods when weather prevents normal activity.

That combination is important. Better infrastructure can reduce the impact of strong winds, but better information can help operators decide how to use the available operating time and prepare for disruption when it cannot be avoided.

The Western Cape Government’s stakeholder work has also identified the need for clearer procedures around stopping and restarting operations and for alternative measures during extended weather disruptions.

A Practical Response to a Recurring Problem

The proposed wind shields are a targeted response to a problem that repeatedly affects the Port of Cape Town.

Rather than treating every weather-related stoppage as unavoidable, the approach is to reduce the effect of strong winds where possible and improve the information available to the people running the port.

For exporters and other businesses that depend on the port, the outcome is ultimately straightforward: fewer disruptions, greater certainty and a more predictable route for getting goods to market.

That is the real value of the proposal. Not simply keeping cranes operating for longer, but reducing the number of times a weather event at the harbour becomes a problem for businesses hundreds or thousands of kilometres away.

Supply chain leadership has never been a simple job. Leaders are expected to balance cost, efficiency, customer expectations, supplier relationships, technology, people and an increasingly unpredictable global environment.

What has changed is the speed and complexity at which those challenges can emerge.

A disruption that once seemed like an isolated event can quickly affect suppliers, transport networks, inventory levels and customers across an entire operation. At the same time, businesses are under pressure to adopt new technologies, improve efficiency and respond to changing customer expectations.

In this environment, being a good supply chain leader is not only about knowing how a supply chain operates. It is about thinking differently about the challenges facing it.

They Look Beyond the Immediate Problem

Supply chain leaders spend a great deal of time solving problems. A delayed shipment needs attention. A supplier cannot fulfil an order. Inventory is running low. A customer needs an urgent delivery.

These issues cannot simply be ignored, but the strongest leaders do not stop at fixing the immediate problem.

They look at what the problem might be telling them about the wider supply chain.

A recurring delay could point to a weakness in a particular route or supplier relationship. Unexpected fluctuations in demand could reveal weaknesses in forecasting. A stock shortage might expose a lack of flexibility elsewhere in the network.

This means good leadership is not just about asking, “How do we fix this?” It is also about asking, “Why did this happen, and what can we change so that we are better prepared next time?”

That shift in thinking can turn individual problems into opportunities to strengthen the wider operation.

They Are Comfortable With Uncertainty

There will always be things that supply chain leaders cannot control.

Markets change. Costs fluctuate. Customers change their behaviour. Suppliers experience their own challenges. Transport networks can be disrupted by events thousands of kilometres away.

Trying to predict every possible disruption is unrealistic.

Instead, strong leaders think about how prepared the organisation is to respond when something unexpected happens.

This can mean having alternative suppliers, maintaining relationships across a broader network, understanding where the most important dependencies exist or simply ensuring that decision-makers have enough visibility to react quickly.

The goal is not to eliminate uncertainty. It is to make the supply chain less vulnerable to it.

They Don’t Chase Technology for Technology’s Sake

Artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, predictive analytics and other technologies are changing the way supply chains operate.

For leaders, however, the question should not simply be which technology to adopt next.

The more important question is what problem the technology is supposed to solve.

Technology can improve visibility, automate repetitive tasks, support forecasting and help businesses make decisions faster. But introducing a new system does not automatically make a supply chain better.

The strongest leaders understand this distinction. They consider how technology fits into the wider operation, whether their teams can effectively use it and whether it is solving a meaningful business problem.

In other words, they start with the supply chain challenge and work backwards towards the technology, rather than starting with the technology and looking for somewhere to use it.

They Understand the Value of Flexibility

Efficiency has traditionally been one of the main goals of supply chain management. Businesses want to reduce costs, minimise waste and make better use of their resources.

Those objectives remain important.

However, a supply chain that is highly efficient under normal conditions may not necessarily perform well when conditions change.

The best leaders therefore think about the balance between efficiency and flexibility.

Sometimes this means accepting a degree of redundancy or maintaining an alternative option that may not appear to be the cheapest choice in the short term. The value comes when circumstances change and that flexibility gives the organisation more options.

This is an important shift in mindset. Instead of viewing resilience as an additional cost, leaders can consider it part of the value of having a supply chain that can adapt.

They See People as Part of the Solution

There is considerable focus on the role of automation and artificial intelligence in the future of supply chains. Yet even the most advanced technology still depends on people.

Someone needs to understand the data. Someone needs to make decisions. Someone needs to manage relationships with suppliers, customers and logistics partners.

Strong supply chain leaders recognise that technology and people are not necessarily competing priorities.

The right technology can remove repetitive work, provide better information and allow employees to focus on more complex decisions. At the same time, organisations need people with the skills to understand and use these new tools effectively.

This makes leadership and skills development increasingly important. The future supply chain may be more digital, but it will still need people who can think critically, adapt quickly and make decisions when the answer is not obvious.

They Think Across the Business

Perhaps one of the biggest differences between traditional and modern supply chain leadership is how leaders view the function itself.

The supply chain does not operate in isolation.

A purchasing decision can affect inventory. An inventory decision can affect cash flow. A logistics decision can affect customer experience. A change in customer demand can have consequences throughout the entire network.

The best leaders understand these connections.

Rather than focusing solely on the performance of their own department, they work with finance, sales, operations, procurement and other parts of the organisation to understand the bigger picture.

This allows supply chain decisions to support broader business objectives rather than being measured purely against operational targets.

They Keep Asking What Comes Next

Perhaps the defining characteristic of a strong supply chain leader is curiosity.

The supply chain environment will continue to change. New technologies will emerge, customer expectations will evolve and new risks will appear.

There is no single strategy that will permanently solve every challenge.

The strongest leaders therefore keep asking questions.

What could change? Where are we vulnerable? What information are we missing? Are we still operating in the way that makes the most sense for the business? What could we do differently?

This mindset creates a supply chain that is not simply built to operate today, but one that can continue evolving tomorrow.

Ultimately, the best supply chain leaders do not have all the answers. What sets them apart is their willingness to question existing assumptions, look beyond immediate problems and create an organisation that is capable of adapting when circumstances change.

In a supply chain environment where change has become a constant, the ability to think differently may be just as important as the ability to execute well.