South Africa’s president Thabo Mbeki and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao will today sign protocols on phytosanitary requirements for the export to China of SA pears, table grapes, apples and tobacco leaf.
And prior to the signing, the trade has welcomed the deal. Deciduous Fruit Producers Trust chief executive Anton Rabe said the trust welcomes any efforts that boost export trade. He added, as a note of caution, that it will be some time before the benefits filtered through to the country’s farmers.
Last year, South African fruit exports to China grossed R25.5m (£1.81m) compared to R4.4m (£0.3m) the previous year. Rabe said citrus accounted for about 90 per cent of local fruit exports.
“The economy is still brittle. The industry only stabilised over the past two years at the back of a weaker rand and good production. There is still a lot of room for mishaps,” Rabe told SA media.
