If SA could retain 50% of the exporters that come and go in any one year, it could grow the economy – which is projected to grow at about 0.7% in 2016 – by an additional half a percentage point, said independent economist Dr André Gouws.
While the export industry comprises about 23 000 to 25 000 exporters in any one year, it gains about 6 000 new ones each year. But unfortunately, according to Gouws, about the same number also withdraw from the export trade.
“Had we been able to retain half these exporters since 2000, by this year SA would have had more than 60 000 exporters,” Gouws said.
To get to this figure, he used the potential exporter growth rate between 2000 and 2012 (See graphic), and extrapolated it to 2016.
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