Expanding markets is the goal of the South African citrus sector

In South Africa, the citrus sector expects production to grow by around 500,000 additional tonnes over the next 3 to 5 years. Preserving and optimizing its foreign markets and gaining new ones is the objective.

 

 

 

According to CGA (Citrus Growers ’Association of Southern Africa) the European Union market remains a key market with 45% of total citrus exports made this year. The EU could potentially import 80,000 tonnes of additional lemons and citrus fruits by 2024. Exports to the United States could reach 60,000 tonnes of citrus this year and the American amrché could potentially import an additional 75,000 tonnes of grapefruit and citrus fruit over the next 4 years.

 

 

 

CGA says it has identified other markets to conquer. Negotiations have taken place with the Philippines for 11 years and have just resulted in an agreement. This new market has an export potential of 20,000 tonnes of citrus fruits. Vietnam is a market to be won back. In 2012, the exported volume totaled 2,000 tonnes of citrus fruits, but access to the Vietnamese market was lost the following year due to an administrative error regarding the list of approved products. The development of a new protocol is underway.

 

 

 

Japan offers great potential with an expected increase in exports of lemons and citrus fruits by 2024. China and India are other markets where technical issues have hampered further expansion. The Chinese market could import an additional 50,000 tonnes of lemons per year.

 

 

 

CGA ensures of its determination to work with the various government authorities as well as with the embassies of South Africa in these different markets to obtain agreements before the 2021 export season.