June 2025

30 June 2025 – Agbiz highlights the contentious issue of the Merchant Shipping Bill (2023) in South Africa, specifically its cabotage restrictions. These proposed limitations could affect the logistical framework crucial for the export of perishables such as fruit. Annelize Crosby from the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz) outlined potential disruptions to the cold chain during […]

26 June 2025 – South Africa’s poultry producers have sounded the alarm over a Department of Agriculture policy change that they say could expose the country to new outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI/bird flu). The decision gives United States authorities the power to determine which of their states can export poultry to South

25 June 2025 – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slashed South Africa’s economic growth projections for 2025 by 0.5 percentage on the back of slowing activity in the country’s two largest trading partners amid rising US tariffs. The US government announced sweeping reciprocal import tariffs on 60 countries earlier this month, sparking retaliation and

24 June 2025 – Allianz Trade Global Survey took the pulse before and after the announcement of sweeping US import tariffs on April 2. The findings reveal the toll of the trade war and coping mechanisms for 4,500 exporters in nine key countries that account for close to 60% of global GDP. ✅ The unpredictability of

23 June 2025 – The latest World Investment Report from UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) highlights a significant rebound in foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to Africa. In 2024, foreign investment in the continent shot up by 75% to reach $97 billion, representing 6% of global FDI, compared to a 4% share the year before. The surge was

19 June 2025 – After declining for eight consecutive months to reach a revised index level of 113.5 in January 2025, the lowest since December 2022, the Ctrack Transport and Freight Index (Ctrack TFI) increased in each of the three months to April to reach an index level of 115.4. At this level the index

17 June 2025 – It has been another critical week for South African trade negotiations with US, with Donald Trump and Cyril Ramaphosa meeting at the G-7 summit in Canada  While South African fresh produce exporters to the US still wait with bated breath on trade tariffs, the two countries have agreed one crucial deal

13 June 2025 – South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.1% in the first quarter, following an increase of 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with the economy not growing sufficiently and these figures can slide into negative territory at any time, said Statistics South Africa Statistician-General Risenga Maluleke on June 3. Compared with the first quarter of 2024,

12 June 2025 – Carriers are ready to impose two incremental peak season surcharges (PSS) on top of long-term fixed rates, Taiwan’s Diversified Merchandise Corporation (Dimerco) said in its latest analysis of the sector. This follows container lines in general delaying PSS implementations from mid-May. According to Dimerco, the rates are US$2 000 per forty-foot equivalent

11 June 2025 – Over the course of the first five months of 2025, United States (US) President Donald Trump and his administration have worked – mostly using the threat of higher US tariffs on trading partners – to reform global trade. A 10% universal tariff baseline has been established; what remains are the various