As South Africa’s crucial citrus season prepares to commence in April, the industry’s peak body is raising urgent concerns about fuel availability and escalating costs that threaten to disrupt the country’s position as the world’s second-largest citrus exporter.

By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming

Middle East Conflict Impacts Fuel Supply

The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) is closely monitoring the situation as conflict in the Middle East drives up fuel costs and creates supply uncertainties. The timing couldn’t be worse, with the 2026 citrus season set to begin in earnest from April.

Adding to these concerns, the CGA has received reports of isolated diesel shortages across the country. Although official assurances suggest that the national supply remains stable, industry participants report limited diesel availability at certain stations, apparently caused by unusual buying patterns and controlled allocation by industry players.

Call for Urgent Government Intervention

Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele, CEO of the CGA, emphasised the need for immediate action. “Strong coordination, transparency and contingency planning will be essential to ensure the upcoming season proceeds with as little disruption as reasonably possible. The government must take into account the important contribution of agriculture exports in the economy,” he said.

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The CGA is calling for an integrated national approach involving government, fuel suppliers, logistics operators, growers and exporters to address the emerging crisis.

Road Transport Dependency Creates Vulnerability

The scale of the potential problem becomes clear when considering that 95% of the national citrus crop moves by road to ports. Should controlled selling or limited availability of diesel persist, it could directly affect the functioning of the entire citrus supply chain.

“This points to the problems inherent in a logistics system almost wholly reliant on trucks,” Dr Ntshabele noted. “Over the longer term, greater freight rail activity is needed, and the CGA is grateful that private sector involvement in rail is progressing, but it needs to happen at a greater scale and a faster pace.”

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Economic Impact and Job Security at Risk

The concerns extend beyond logistics to the broader economic impact on the sector, which supports 140,000 jobs at farm level. South Africa’s citrus industry represents the country’s largest agricultural export sector, making any disruption a matter of national economic importance.

The CGA has expressed support for fuel measures recently proposed by industry bodies Agbiz, AgriSA and the Fuels Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA), while calling for government assistance to mitigate negative impacts.

Market Access Challenges Add to Pressure

Dr Ntshabele stressed that the fuel crisis comes at a time when the industry needs government support for improved market access. “We need better access and more markets now more than ever,” he said, specifically mentioning the need for action on market access to China, India, the United States and the European Union.

The CGA is expected to publish estimates for the 2026 citrus season soon, providing an overview of expected volumes available for export despite the current challenges facing the industry.