SA apples get a legal bite of massive Chinese market

AN OFFICIAL agreement opening the way for legallysanctioned apple exports to the People’s Republic of China is about to be signed. South Africa will not exactly upset the apple cart when it initiates its first exports to China – by far world’s largest apple producer. But the signing of the agreement in Beijing in October or November will enable registered South African exporters/orchards/ packhouses to export to that populous land while China will in turn be permitted to export to South Africa an as yet unspecified commodity. Until now, apples and other South African fruit finding its way to Mainland China has been shipped via the so-called ‘grey route’, through Hong Kong, a practice certain to be nipped in the bud by the Chinese authorities once the agreement is signed and sealed. Charles Hughes, CEO, of Tru-Cape Fruit Marketing, which commands 50% of the country’s apple and pear market, is not inclined to speculate on the sort of numbers going via the grey route but has firm views on the matter. Blaming “seriously irresponsible exporters” for such practices, he says: “We will not allow any fruit to go that way because it is illegal and the Chinese will not stand for it. “That sort of thing is nonsense and is going to wreck our international government relationship.” The apple agreement to China follows that for oranges and grapes, both of which have been exported in limited quantities to the land of one billion-plus people, following registration (by the Chinese) of orchards and packhouses, entitling only them to export.