AGRICULTURE NEWS - Although the recent travel and trade restrictions that resulted from the third wave of COVID-19 infections exacerbated the export challenges faced by the cut flower industry, it is expected that protea and fynbos exports will increase by more than 18% in the 2020/2021 season.
This was according to Karien Bezuidenhout, manager of Cape Flora SA, who said there had been some normalisation of trade since the COVID-19-related trade restrictions, but freight costs were still about 60% higher than before the pandemic.
Total protea exports for the 2020/2021 season were estimated at just over 7,1 million stems, up from just over six million stems in the 2019/2020 season.
