SA’s bulk exports leap more than a third in July on improved maize crop
SA’s bulk export volumes rose 34.5% year on year in July, says the Transnet National Ports Authority. Exports rose to 15.6-million tonnes in the month, bringing the increase for the first seven months of 2017 to 8.7%. The figure shows that mining and agricultural bulk exports are boosting the South African economy. In the first quarter, these sectors were the only ones out of the 10 major economic sectors that contributed to improvements. Their contribution is expected to continue for the remainder of 2017 as harvesting of the summer crops only started in May and should last until the end of August. The Agricultural Business Chamber has forecast maize exports of more than 2-million tonnes in 2017, after none in 2016. This should lead to a 20%-plus increase in bulk exports from other ports apart from Saldanha and Richards Bay. In July, there was 64.4% surge to 1.9-million tonnes. Bulk exports out of Richards Bay, which are mostly coal, increased 36.3% in July to 8.4-million tonnes, w...
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