Fruit exporters optimistic about further access to Chinese market

The departure last week of the CMA Puccini from Cape Town port with the first consignment of South African apples for the Chinese market marked a major milestone for the industry.

The consignment of 1 120 cartons (18.25 kg) of Royal Beaut apples, dispatched by Core Fruit,  is due to arrive at Shanghai harbour on the 2nd of May.

“It’s a big opportunity for us,” Thomas Mouton, manager of apple and pear marketing at Core Fruit, told FTW. “The specifications for the market are high but if we can adhere to them, there is huge potential.”

And he believes it could also serve as a springboard to other Eastern countries.
It has taken more than eight years for South Africa to negotiate market access to China.

Nicholas Dicey, chairman of the South African Apple and Pear Producers’ Association (SAAPPA), believes the trade agreement should fast-track market access to China for other fruit, such as pears and stone fruit. “It should be easier, since we have been through the ropes and now have a better understanding of the market requirements and who to deal with during negotiations,” Dicey said.