By Nico van Burick
In 2024, despite poor grain and oilseed harvests, South Africa’s agricultural exports set a new record of $13.7 billion (about R253 billion).
Strong fruit harvests, a recovering livestock market and sizeable grain surpluses contributed to export growth. According to Trade Map data, exports were 3% higher than the previous year. This increase was driven by both higher export volumes and rising prices for certain products.
Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa (Agbiz), says the top exported products by value were citrus, grapes, maize, apples, pears, wine, nuts, fruit juices, sugar, berries, dates, pineapples, avocados, wool, apricots, peaches, cider and beef.
South Africa’s leading market for agricultural exports, by far, was the rest of the African continent, with 44% of the total value. These products included maize, maize meal, wheat, sugar, fruit, wine, sunflower and soya bean oil, oilcake and rice.
Asia and the Middle East were the second-largest export destination (21%), with products such as citrus, nuts, fruit, wool, sugar, beef, mutton, wine and fruit juices.
The European Union was third with 19% and products such as grapes, wine, dates, avocados, pineapples, fruit juices, fruit, nuts and wool.
About 6% of agricultural exports went to the Americas, and 10% to the rest of the world, including the UK. Agricultural exports to the Americas that are affected by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) account for 4% of this 6%.
Sihlobo says the efficiency of logistics infrastructure remains a major challenge for the farming sector, together with the continued collaboration between Transnet, private enterprises and logistics organisations to continue the flow of products despite delays at times.
He emphasises that South Africa’s agricultural trade is a two-way street. In 2024, South Africa’s agricultural imports amounted to $7.6 billion (R142 billion), up 8% year-on-year, according to Trade Map. This includes imports such as wheat, palm oil, rice, chicken and whisky.
Sihlobo warns that in the current environment of heightened geopolitical tension, South Africa’s export-orientated agricultural sector must work hard to retain existing export markets and also find new markets. “The focus of policymakers, agribusinesses and organised agriculture should be on improving logistical efficiency and protecting markets in the EU, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.”
He says other strategic export markets for South African agricultural products are South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Taiwan, Mexico, the Philippines and Bangladesh.
The South African authorities should also help to expand export markets in key BRICS countries such as China, India, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. “The BRICS grouping should emphasise the need for member countries to lower the import tariffs and address artificial phytosanitary barriers hindering deeper trade within this grouping,” Sihlobo says.
