South African apple and pear exports to the UK have increased by 9% despite Brexit and the pandemic, setting a new record for Hortgro, the association of top fruit growers. The exports totaled about 33 million cartons of apples and 15.5 million cartons of pears. The UK was the third largest export destination for South African apples, accounting for 19% of total exports. B2B and B2C promotional activities were organized to highlight the quality and sustainability of South African stone fruits, which are key to job creation in rural areas.