SA-German trade records encouraging growth

South African exports to Germany increased by 20% in 2011, according to the South African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAGCCI). At the same time imports from Germany to South Africa increased by 12% to 7.35 billion euros. “Trade between South Africa and Germany is now around 15 billion euro a year,” said Matthias Boddenberg, CEO of SAGCCI. Speaking at the organisation’s annual backto- work lunch, Boddenberg said the weakening of the rand played a major role in the increased trade as South African products had become more affordable in Germany while infrastructure investment in South Africa had led to an increase in imports from Germany. “A very encouraging sign, however, is the number of South African manufactured products that are becomingly increasingly popular in Germany. This bodes very well for trade volumes to increase even more,” he told FTW. Already ten delegations from Germany have been confirmed to visit South Africa this year through the chamber while representatives from at least 60 South African companies will be taken to Germany in June this year for a first-ofits- kind matchmaking event at the German Business Forum in Berlin. Boddenberg said the companies would be individually matched with German companies according to their size, technology, product and services.