SA agri exporters should keep a close eye on the rest of Africa

Although I continue to argue that South Africa should expand its agricultural export markets to new frontiers such as India, China, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, this growth drive should not be at the expense of existing markets.

- Wandile Sihlobo

What we need to do is actively engage with existing markets to promote the further development of these exports. This engagement should focus not only on Asia and the EU, both crucial regions for our export growth, but also on the rest of Africa.

SA’S LARGEST EXPORT MARKET 

Africa remains the largest export market for South Africa’s agricultural products. The continent accounted for 37% of South Africa’s record agricultural exports of US$12,8 billion (around R217 billion) in 2022. And this was not an anomaly; on average, Africa has accounted for 38% of South Africa’s agricultural exports by value every year for the past five years.

Unlike other South African export destinations, where the products comprise predominantly fruit, beef, wool and wine, maize is the main agricultural product exported across Africa. Other products exported to the rest of the continent include apples, wheat, animal feed, prepared foods, wine, fruit juice, soya bean oil, sunflower oil, alcoholic beverages, and soya bean oilcake.

South Africa’s leading African markets are Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zambia, Angola, Nigeria and Mauritius, all of which, apart from Nigeria, are within the Southern African Development Community’s (SADC) Free Trade Area, which has greatly benefitted South Africa.