There is much discussion and no certainty over what the impact of President Donald Trump and his administration will be on agricultural exports to the United States.
Under the spotlight is the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa), which allows South African agricultural products to enter the United States duty-free.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, SA’s agricultural exports to the US have grown by an average of 16% a year since the start of Agoa in 2000.
Sectors that have benefited most include citrus, nuts, wine, dairy, table grapes, fruit juice, industrial alcohol and sugar.
The biggest export categories are citrus, followed by nuts and then wine.
According to Sars statistics, South Africa enjoyed a R4.7 billion agricultural product surplus over the US between January and November 2024.
South Africa’s biggest exports were vegetables (R4.7bn) and prepared foodstuffs (R4bn).
The biggest imports were wood, pulp and paper (R1.8bn), followed by prepared foodstuffs (R1.4bn).USDA statistics show that the US accounts for 5% of South Africa’s fresh orange exports, 8% of fresh mandarins, 4% of fresh grapefruit and 4% of orange juice exports.
- Read the rest in our Freight Features edition on "Agriculture".
