Room for SA to diversify exports

While South Africa’s trade
with China and India
has reached “substantial
levels”, the export baskets
destined for these two
Asian destinations
are highly
concentrated and
dominated by a few mineral
commodities, principally
iron ores and concentrates
and coal products.
There are however
expansion
opportunities
for exports
to these
countries,
as identified
by the ‘BRICS
trade performance
– focusing on South Africa’
report published earlier
this year by the Industrial
Development Corporation
(IDC).
South
Africanproduced
motor
vehicles
have started
making
inroads into
the rapidly
growing
Chinese
market, according to the
report.
It notes that car exports
to China were valued at
US$217 m,
US$276 m
and US$103
m over
the past
three years,
respectively,
representing
1% of the
export basket
in 2012.