The wine industry says the lifting of the ban on the sale of alcohol has come too late.
Rico Basson, managing director of wine industry organisation Vinpro, says many wine businesses have already closed and a long road to recovery lies ahead for the industry.
The sector is believed to have lost more than R7 billion since the introduction of sales restrictions in March.
Vinpro estimates that more than 80 wineries and 350 wine grape producers will go out of business over the next 18 months and that 21 000 are in jeopardy across the value chain.
Meanwhile, the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association has called on the government to ratify the World Health Organisation’s Illicit Trade Protocol, to help eradicate the sale of illegal cigarettes.
South Africa signed the comprehensive set of international rules seven years ago but has not formally ratified it.
Fita believes ratification would see the country implement the global WHO track and trace guideline.
This follows the market share of its members being almost entirely overtaken by those offered in illicit trade, due to the lockdown ban on tobacco sales – which ended at midnight.
British American Tobacco SA says its market share dropped from 48% before lockdown to 8.7% in June.
Source: Moneyweb
