South African nuclear fruit opens the door to the Chinese market, with peaches, plums, and prunes expected to supply the Spring Festival market.

On October 14, a South African agricultural delegation led by Minister of Agriculture H.E. Mr. John Steenhuisen visited Shanghai. During the import and export merchants' roundtable meeting held that evening, he stated that both China and South Africa are members of the BRICS countries, and under the current unfavorable global trade environment, it is necessary to strengthen trade between member countries. "This is my third visit to China, aiming to meet with the Director of the General Administration of Customs of China, Sun Meijun, to complete the issue of nuclear fruits (plums, peaches, prunes, nectarines, and apricots) entering the Chinese market. We will also discuss and expedite the market access of cherries and blueberries, aiming to complete the negotiations by 2026."

According to Mr. Steenhuisen, the trade and commercial departments of China and South Africa are currently negotiating to ensure that all products exported from South Africa to China are subject to 0% tariffs, in order to enhance the competitiveness of South African fruits in the Chinese market.

In South Africa's total planting area of 54,000 hectares, 70% of the deciduous fruit yield comes from apples and pears, with the remaining 30% being nuclear fruits (peaches, plums, apricots, etc.). South Africa's annual production of peaches and nectarines (mainly yellow-fleshed nectarines) is approximately 182,000 tons, and the production of plums is about 93,000 tons. Currently, South African nuclear fruits are mainly exported to the EU, the UK, and the Middle East. Due to South Africa's location in the Southern Hemisphere, its seasons are opposite to those of China. South African nuclear fruit exports last from October to March and April of the following year, which coincides with the winter and spring seasons in China, and meets the demand of the Chinese market during traditional festivals such as the Spring Festival and New Year.

In 2024, South Africa's fruit production is approximately 6.23 million tons, with exports amounting to 3.8 million tons. It is currently the world's 15th largest fruit producer and the second largest fruit producer in the Southern Hemisphere after Argentina. In addition, 61% of all fruits produced in South Africa are exported to approximately 90 countries worldwide.

Data from Chinese Customs indicate that in 2024, South Africa's fruit exports to China amounted to 490 million US dollars. Since South Africa signed the "Belt and Road" cooperation mediation memorandum with China in 2015, the annual compound growth rate of exports over the past ten years has been 12.5%. In terms of specific categories, in 2024, South Africa exported 130 million US dollars of citrus fruits to China, accounting for 35% of China's total imported citrus fruits, making it China's largest supplier of imported citrus fruits. Apple exports amounted to 190 million US dollars, making it the second largest supplier of imported apples to China. So far, South Africa has had five types of fruits—citrus fruits, grapes, apples, pears, and avocados—sequentially obtain quarantine access from Chinese Customs, and over 5,100 fruit production enterprises have registered in China.

On October 14, the South African agricultural delegation focused on inspecting Shanghai Huizhan Fruit and Vegetable Market, an important import fruit distribution center in East China, and held friendly exchanges with market representatives on deepening agricultural trade cooperation. Mr. Steenhuisen pointed out during the exchange that China is an important export destination for South African agricultural products, and the South African government is taking measures such as improving food safety standards and perfecting the plant quarantine system to provide better quality agricultural products for Chinese consumers. He emphasized: "This inspection aims to build a bridge between the government and enterprises..."