South African fruit exports are making progress in new markets

Horticulture accounts for 11% of South Africa's exports, although this sector accounts for only 2.5% of GDP. The horticultural sector as a whole is export-oriented, exporting about half of its produce by value. The South African fruit sector is overwhelmingly an export-oriented sector: fresh fruit accounts for approximately 35% of South African horticultural exports. Decades of R&D and capacity building with growers and industry associations have been needed to deliver high quality fruit that is globally competitive. For example, South Africa is the second largest citrus exporter in the world, the sixth largest pear exporter, the seventh largest grape exporter, the eighth largest apple exporter and the ninth largest avocado exporter. In terms of export markets, the industry aims to maintain and maximize its traditional markets in the EU, the UK and the US and to gain access to new markets in East Asia and the Middle East. Citrus is the largest export with almost two thirds, ...