South African peaches, plums, and prunes are expected to be shipped to China by the end of the year to supply the Spring Festival market!

According to South African media reports, an agreement on the entry of South African stone fruits into the Chinese market is expected to be signed in September, bringing South African stone fruits one step closer to opening the Chinese market.

Last week, South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen said at a meeting of the Western Cape Provincial Exporters' Association that this is part of a sustained strategy to diversify agricultural export markets. He had just finished a visit to China, returning to South Africa with an agreement to export stone fruits to China. It is expected that during the G20 Agricultural Ministers' Meeting in September, China and South Africa will sign the final agreement. As early as the end of this year, peaches, plums, prunes, nectarines, and apricots grown in South Africa will be exported to China.

The annual production of South African peaches and nectarines (mainly yellow-fleshed nectarines) is about 182,000 tons, and plums are about 93,000 tons. Currently, South African stone fruits are mainly exported to the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. Since South Africa is located in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are opposite to those of China. The export period for South African stone fruits runs from October to March and April of the following year, which coincides with the winter and spring seasons in China, and traditional festivals such as Chinese New Year and New Year's Day, meeting the demand of the Chinese market out of season.

Steenhuisen told exporters that the United States' decision to impose a 30% tariff on various South African products starting August 1 will severely impact the South African economy. Although South Africa has been committed to achieving diversification of its agricultural export markets, establishing new trade relationships will still take many years.

Given the escalating trade tensions between South Africa and countries such as the United States and the European Union—long-standing disputes over citrus fruits and black spot disease continue to pose non-tariff barriers—South Africa is increasingly looking to Asia and Africa for new opportunities. South Africa has invested considerable effort in opening up new markets, such as selling apples to Thailand, grapes to the Philippines, and red meat to the Gulf region.

Image source: Gardening Know How 2025 International Fruit and Vegetable Report. All rights reserved. For permission to reproduce, contact the International Fruit and Vegetable Report and credit the source.