South African stone fruit gains access to Chinese market

SOUTH AFRICA – South Africa’s stone fruit industry has entered a new growth phase after China officially granted market access for five fruit types, marking a major milestone for the country’s agricultural exports.

The agreement, signed in Shanghai on 15 October by Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) Minister Sun Meijun, allows South African peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and prunes to enter the Chinese market for the first time.

“This protocol represents a major breakthrough for South African fruit producers and exporters at a time when diversification is essential for our agricultural resilience,” said Minister Steenhuisen.

“It is part of a broader strategy to make South African agriculture less dependent on traditional buyers and more responsive to new consumption patterns, such as China’s growing middle class, which is driving demand for high-quality agricultural products.”

The opening of this market is expected to inject about R393 million (US$22.64 million) into the South African economy over the next five years, with the value projected to double within a decade. Forecasts show that exports to China could rise from R27 million (US$1.55 million) in 2025 to R53 million (US$3.05 million) in 2026.

Minister Steenhuisen said the deal will “offset some of the immediate impact of the US tariffs, especially on plums.” He added that the access provided by the protocol “holds great potential” as China’s import volumes for peaches and plums continue to soar.

China imported more than 21 million cartons of peaches and nectarines and 20 million cartons of plums last year, a figure that exceeds South Africa’s entire seasonal export output.

Experts estimate that exports to China could reach five percent of South Africa’s total fruit export volume by 2033.

Industry reaction

Hortgro, which represents the country’s deciduous fruit industry, welcomed the news. “We are absolutely ecstatic that we have finally concluded this process that started many years ago,” said Jacques du Preez, Hortgro’s General Manager for Trade and Markets.

He added, “We can’t wait to ship our first container of delicious, ethically produced stone fruit that complies with the strictest food safety standards to China. We see the Chinese market as vital to the sustainability and further growth of our deciduous fruit industry.”

Hortgro’s Executive Director, Anton Rabe, noted that gaining new markets remains a top priority. “Most of this work happens behind the scenes. When we achieve tangible results, such as signing a new protocol for stone fruit with China, we have reason to celebrate,” he said.

Rabe added that the next phase will involve developing the market with commercial partners to achieve meaningful export volumes.

This development follows steady progress under South Africa’s Agriculture and Agro-Processing Master Plan (AAMP).

Minister Steenhuisen recently announced that agricultural production has grown from 11 percent between 2015 and 2019 to 13 percent between 2019 and 2023.

“The Agriculture and Agro-processing Master Plan is a collective plan of action to achieve the National Development Plan’s vision for agriculture and agro-processing,” he said. “South Africa’s agricultural future will be determined by how well we work together.”

As collaboration between government and industry strengthens, the entry of South African stone fruit into China signals growing confidence in the country’s farming sector and its ability to compete in global markets.

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