en.Wedoany.com Reported - Dube TradePort in Durban, South Africa, is preparing to launch the second phase of its Dube AgriZone, an 18-hectare, fully serviced, agriculture-focused development designed to create opportunities for agricultural entrepreneurs, small-scale growers, emerging farmers, and horticulturists to access high-value markets.
Dube TradePort notes that efficient sea and air freight operations are crucial for facilitating market access for high-value perishable products. By reducing the time it takes for products to travel from farm to market, growers and freight forwarders can achieve higher derived value, extend shelf life, and reduce waste, ultimately lowering costs for retailers and consumers.
Ricardo Isaac, Senior Manager for Cargo Development and Operations at Dube TradePort, stated that this expansion will solidify the organization's role as a key enabler of high-value perishable product production, post-harvest handling, and distribution, while also making these services accessible to small-scale producers.
In the 2024/25 fiscal year, the value of products grown or processed within Dube AgriZone was ZAR 50.3 million. Phase 2 is expected to significantly increase output and enable small-scale farmers to participate more effectively in South Africa's fresh produce and export markets. By providing integrated infrastructure and support services, Dube TradePort helps address barriers that limit the growth potential of small-scale farmers, enabling them to access high-value markets.
Strategically located within the King Shaka International Airport precinct, Dube AgriZone 2 offers access to modern road networks, warehousing and logistics support, packhouses and cold storage facilities, reliable water and electricity supply, established distribution channels to major domestic retailers, and direct access to export markets via the Dube Cargo Terminal. Isaac noted that for investors, the project presents a compelling value proposition combining serviced land, advanced agricultural infrastructure, and seamless market connectivity.
Isaac explained that one of Dube TradePort's core strengths is facilitating efficient trade flows by connecting businesses to domestic, regional, and global markets. In the 2024/25 fiscal year, tenants generated ZAR 2.5 billion in exports, reaching the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region as well as international markets such as Austria, the United Kingdom, and China (via Hong Kong).
This performance is supported by key logistics infrastructure, including the N2 and N3 corridors, the Durban Container Terminal, and expanding rail capacity. These systems enable seamless cargo movement, while the multimodal transport network ensures flexibility in meeting diverse cost, speed, and cargo requirements. Consequently, businesses can deliver products at competitive prices and respond to evolving market opportunities.
From an industrial property and aviation services perspective, Dube TradePort has invested resources in facilities, services, and infrastructure at the Dube Cargo Terminal to create a world-class environment for handling time-sensitive and high-value cargo. Over the past seven years, the organization has made significant investments in systems, personnel, and infrastructure to enhance the terminal's capabilities, including creating a dedicated oversized cargo handling area equipped with hoists, mobile cranes, and conveyor systems. This enables the terminal to smoothly handle a variety of cargo, including bulky items such as large pipes, heavy machinery, motor vehicles, livestock, and even standard 20-foot containers.
Dube TradePort has also been actively engaging with freighter operators to establish new air cargo routes connecting Durban to regional and international markets. These efforts are supported by strong future growth prospects driven by manufacturing and assembly activities within the adjacent Dube TradeZone. Over two-thirds of Phase 2 of Dube TradeZone is already occupied, with most remaining sites also booked. Two new construction projects are currently underway, and Dube TradePort is in discussions with three investors considering further facility expansions within its precinct, indicating sustained demand and confidence in the platform.
Dube TradePort has attracted a diverse mix of industries, with notable growth in automotive manufacturing and components, specialty textiles, electronics, and logistics and warehousing. From an airfreight perspective, the Dube Cargo Terminal has seen a significant increase in perishable goods exports, including meat, fruit, and vegetables, to meet growing international demand. Exports of automotive components have also grown, reflecting increased local value-added processing and the integration of parts into global supply chains. On the import side, there has been a notable increase in textile imports, particularly fast fashion, driven by rapidly changing consumer trends. Isaac concluded that these trends are accompanied by increased imports of industrial chemicals and critical machinery components, which play an important role in supporting local manufacturing in South Africa and the broader Southern African region.
