China opens market to five South African stone fruits

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa has secured production protocols with China that will allow local farmers to export five stone fruits, agriculture minister John Steenhuisen announced this week.

The deal covers apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, making it the first time China has agreed to more than one fruit product in a single negotiation.

“This is significant in a number of ways. It is the first time China negotiated more than one product with us at a time. Usually they focus on one fruit type, and we got five in this particular deal,” Steenhuisen said.

The development comes at a challenging moment for exporters. The United States introduced a 30 percent tariff on South African fruit last week, creating immediate concerns about reduced competitiveness in that market.

Negotiations with the US are ongoing, but officials have stressed the need to expand trade relations elsewhere.

“In terms of diversification, China is a huge opportunity for South Africa, with 1.6 billion population, which is too many mouths to feed and a lot of demand for our agricultural products,” Steenhuisen explained.

He added that the agreement could be finalised on the sidelines of the upcoming agricultural G20 meeting next month.

The minister confirmed that apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes will be the first products to enter China under the new arrangement.

“This will open doors for stone fruit into China, and the next mission thereafter will be cherries and mangos, and we are already advanced in terms of negotiations there,” he said.

Reducing dependence on one market

Industry leaders and government officials agree that diversification is essential to protect the sector from sudden shocks.

“We are committed to diversification, and we are looking extensively at new markets,” Steenhuisen said. He stressed that relying too heavily on a single destination puts the economy and long-term trade stability at risk.

Beyond Asia, the minister noted that Africa also holds promise, especially in industries such as wine, which has seen steady growth across the continent.

He said these efforts show a wider strategy to make South African agriculture less dependent on traditional buyers and more responsive to new demand patterns.

For farmers and exporters, the Chinese deal is expected to bring both stability and growth. While the US tariffs remain a challenge, the ability to enter China’s massive consumer base may ease some of the immediate pressure.

“This is significant progress. It shows that even as tariffs disrupt established trade routes, there are opportunities if we move quickly and negotiate well,” Steenhuisen said.

With cherries and mangos already on the discussion table, and new opportunities in Africa taking shape, the agriculture sector is positioning itself to remain competitive despite global trade shifts.

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.