Ronald

24 August 2026 – The seasonally adjusted volume of world merchandise trade grew 1.9% in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter and 3.2% compared to the same quarter in the previous year according to recent WTO/UNCTAD data (downloadable from stats.wto.org). In value terms, world merchandise trade was up 2% quarter-on-quarter and 11% year-on-year in […]

21 August 2026 – The airfreight market remains highly sensitive to international political developments, a trend that was again evident during the first half of 2026. According to Heinrich Kirstein, SACO Shipping’s Cape Town branch manager, expectations are nevertheless positive for the third and fourth quarters, which traditionally mark the peak season and often bring

20 August 2026 – South Africa entered 2026 with cautious optimism. Inflation had moderated, interest rates appeared to be stabilising, and there were signs that economic activity was beginning to improve. Yet, beneath the surface, a different picture is emerging. At CGIC, they are seeing increasing evidence that the trading environment has become more challenging. Risk

18 August 2026 – The US Senate supports extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for another two years. But the process is not yet final. There are further processes to be completed before the bill reaches the US President for approval. Positively for us, South Africa remains part of this process, and AGOA

17 August 2026 – Growers from KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga gathered outside Treasury’s offices on 27 July to call for the urgent gazetting of a revised sugar import tariff. They said delays in updating the tariff mechanism have left the local industry exposed to heavily subsidised imports from countries such as Brazil, India, and Thailand. The

14 August 2026 – As we pass the midpoint of 2026, the global food supply chain remains resilient in the face of major disruptions domestically and in global trade. But we must not take this resilience for granted, and it is vital that industry and government work together to deliver the regulatory changes needed for

13 August 2026 – South Africa’s economic activity picked up in July after two consecutive months of decline, offering a small but welcome sign of resilience in an economy that has struggled to build sustained momentum. The PayInc Economic Index increased in July, albeit by a marginal 0.3%, following declines of 2% in May and

11 August 2026 – Major US container port import volumes are expected to remain high this month after the peak shipping season arrived earlier than usual and volumes began declining for the remainder of the year. This is according to the latest Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett

7 August 2026 – A gauge measuring South African manufacturer sentiment slumped to the lowest level in seven months over concerns that escalating hostilities in the Middle East could impact demand. Absa’s Purchasing Managers’ Index, compiled by the Bureau for Economic Research, remained in contractionary territory for a second month. It fell to 46.8 in

5 August 2026 – Industry organisation the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has revised its total export estimate for this year downward to 205.3-million 15 kg cartons, from the pre-season estimate of 209.4-million 15 kg cartons. With all varieties included, the industry has now reached the peak of the export period, which has placed considerable