Tinashe Kapuya, manager of International Trade and Investment Intelligence at the Agricultural Business Chamber (or Agbiz) for South Africa, spoke to an international audience at the New York Produce Show and Conference’s Global Trade Symposium about how the race for South African citrus exports has major roadblocks ahead.
According to Kapuya, it has taken South Africa about 30 years to gain diversity with global exports, and the country is fighting to keep this progress going. South Africa’s produce faces increasing market restrictions from Europe due to the nation’s strict regulations from the European Food Safety Authority as well as fierce competition from global exporters (such as Chile, Peru, Argentina, etc.). As a result of these challenges, South Africa aims to diversify its citrus agribusiness into new export markets.
The plan to entice partnerships is to use trade data from the Harmonized System — a numerical classification system of products used as a basis for international trade statistics by most countries — to showcase the export potential of South African citrus.
The ideal results of this diversification strategy are geared toward: sustainable growth in markets that show signs of growth; higher trade gains by building a market with incentives for growth; export consistency through secure supply and sustained surpluses; and honing in on emerging markets while preserving traditional ones.
Agbiz also focuses on education and research on black spot fungal disease and laws regarding duty-free access to the United States to maintain footing.
Agbiz is a voluntary, dynamic and influential association of agribusinesses operating in South and southern Africa. Agbiz's function is to ensure that agribusiness plays a constructive role in the country’s economic growth, development and transformation, and to create an environment in which agribusinesses of all sizes and in all sectors can thrive, expand and be competitive.
Source: PerishableNews.com
