A landmark signing ceremony for supplementary phytosanitary requirements has paved the way for enhanced South African citrus exports to China, with key stakeholders from both nations celebrating the agreement as a significant boost to bilateral agricultural trade and economic cooperation.
By Maile Matsimela, digital editor at African Farming
The signing ceremony took place at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Pretoria on Friday, 10 April.
The protocol amendment, which relaxes core treatment requirements for South African citrus exports, represents a culmination of technical collaboration between Chinese and South African authorities, promising reduced costs and improved market access for the citrus industry.
Also read: China deal encouraging, but tariff reform must continue
Diplomatic Milestone Strengthens Bilateral Ties
H.E Ambassador Wu Peng, China’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to South Africa, framed the agreement within the broader context of strengthening China-South Africa relations. “This agreement for further access to the Chinese market cannot be more timely… it reflects the high level of China-South Africa bilateral relations and the deep friendship between our two peoples,” Ambassador Wu stated during the ceremony.
The diplomatic significance extends beyond citrus trade, with Ambassador Wu highlighting China’s position as South Africa’s largest citrus import market. “In 2025, China imported more than $130 million US dollars worth of citrus from South Africa, accounting for 32% of total citrus imports,” he revealed, emphasising South Africa’s competitive advantage through counter-seasonal supply.
The Ambassador also referenced President Xi Jinping’s announcement of zero tariff treatment for 53 African countries starting 1 May 2026, describing the timing as particularly beneficial given temporary shipping disruptions in the Middle East.
Also read: Free trade with China beckons for SA
Economic Benefits and Market Expansion
From South Africa’s perspective, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen welcomed the agreement as building upon a foundation established over two decades ago. “This was the first protocol signed between our two countries,” Minister Steenhuisen noted, referring to the original citrus protocol that initiated agricultural cooperation between the nations.
The Minister outlined recent progress in diversifying agricultural exports to China, including successful shipments of plums and avocados, with ongoing technical work on cherry protocols and blueberry pest-risk analysis. “We are very grateful for the partnership we have been able to build, and I look forward to many, many more years of interaction,” he emphasised.
Steenhuisen also announced the appointment of Dr Mona Mashaba as a special advisor to deepen engagement with Chinese partners, demonstrating government commitment to expanding the agricultural partnership. The Minister expressed confidence in soon regaining beef market access to China following progress in foot-and-mouth disease vaccination programmes.
Industry Perspective: Reducing Barriers and Costs
Li Lei, Chairman of the Fruit Importers Chamber of Commerce at Guangzhou Jiangnan Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market, provided the industry perspective on the agreement’s practical benefits. “The supplementary protocol introduced optimistic adjustments to the core treatment requirements for fresh citrus exported from South Africa to China,” he explained through a recorded message.
From the importing side, Li emphasised cost benefits: “This effectively lowers the barriers for South African citrus export to China, but also significantly reduces logistic and warehousing costs.” He highlighted how the protocol “helps preserve the freshness and quality of South African citrus to the greatest extent possible, enabling more high-quality fruits to enter the Chinese market efficiently.”
The Guangzhou market, which Li described as “the largest wholesale market of its kind in China and a leading distribution hub for imported fruit in Asia,” represents a crucial gateway for South African produce. He noted that “South African citrus, with its excellent quality and delicious taste, is deeply favoured by Chinese consumers and has been one of the core products for our importers.”
Also read: SA fruit industry tastes sweet success in India and China
Technical Innovation and Future Prospects
The amended protocol introduces several technical improvements that benefit both exporters and importers. Ambassador Wu explained that the new requirements “strengthen sanitary safety, thereby cutting the duration of treatment and lower temperature requirements for citrus exports to China significantly shorter.” These changes are expected to “reduce supply chain energy consumption and shorten shipment time, making South African products much more competitive on the Chinese market.”
The agreement comes at a strategically important time, with global supply chain challenges creating opportunities for enhanced China-South Africa trade relationships. As Ambassador Wu noted, “closer cooperation between our two sides not only benefits our two peoples but also contributes momentum and greater certainty to global development and world trade.”
Also read: Minister Steenhuisen applauds first season shipment of SA’s avocados to China
