Western Cape exporters are making significant inroads into the growing African consumer market, with 25.3% of its total exports moving to Africa. According to Jacyntha Twynam, head of Wesgro Research, R33 million worth of wine was exported to Mozambique alone last year while R322 million worth of apples and pears went to Nigeria. “The African consumer market is growing rapidly as the disposable income of Africans is growing. The demand for products for consumption is therefore also increasing and the Western Cape is becoming a very strong supplier into West and East Africa.” Twynam said the Western Cape at present accounted for 13.1% of all South African exports into Africa as a whole. “Our fruit sector – particularly deciduous fruit – is gaining ground in various African markets,” she said.
