Mining remains South Africa’s main export sector, accounting for R660 billion in export earnings between January and November 2024, according to the South African Revenue Service. The next-biggest is vehicles, aircraft and vessels (R257bn), which exceeds precious metal exports at R208bn. Fourth-largest is iron and steel products, at R191bn.All the leading value-added sectors are under pressure, which puts clearing and forwarding agents dependent on these sectors at risk. Companies which have diversified into handling perishables have a growing market, in the view of Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.Vegetable exports totalled R128bn and prepared foodstuffs R80bn during the reporting period.Imports were valued at R41bn for vegetables and R53bn for prepared foodstuffs. Iron and steel exports feature strongly once the raw minerals and precious metals have been factored out of the export mix.The category leads exports to China (R39bn) and is second to the United States (R19bn) and India (R3bn).Vegetables (R8bn) are the second-biggest export category to China, followed by wood pulp and paper (R5bn).Vehicles aircraft and machinery is the second most important category, leading exports to Germany (R84bn) and the US (R33bn). Second to Germany is machinery (R11bn), followed by chemicals (R4bn), which are also the third-biggest export to the US (R9bn) and India (R2bn).The leading export category to India is wood pulp and paper at R9bn.China’s main exports to SA were machinery (R165bn), iron and steel products (R36bn), and textiles (R29bn). India’s exports are wood pulp and paper (R9bn), iron and steel products (R3bn) and chemicals (R2bn).German exports are led by equipment components (R33bn), machinery (R35bn), and vehicles, aircraft and vessels (R17bn). South Africa’s main imports from the US are precious metals (R29bn), iron and steel (R19bn), and wood products (R17 bn). Thailand’s main exports to SA are equipment components (R22bn), followed by vegetables (R9bn) and machinery (R7bn). ER
