The milestone was achieved with the departure of a shipment of approximately 20,000 boxes of premium plums, primarily of the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties, the South African government reported.
The shipment was prepared at the Freshness First packhouse in Franschhoek and was attended by South African Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to South Africa, Wu Peng.
During the event, held on February 18, Steenhuisen emphasized that opening the Chinese market represents much more than a one-off trade opportunity, stating that “today, the Chinese market is a strategic necessity, not just an opportunity for the country’s agricultural resilience.”
Zero-tariff access and greater competitiveness
The shipment comes after the signing of a bilateral agreement that grants South African products zero-tariff access to the Chinese market, strengthening the competitiveness of local exporters in an increasingly challenging global environment.
According to Steenhuisen, the implementation of the protocol for stone fruit will mitigate the impact of tariffs imposed by other trading partners, especially in the case of plums.
The plum shipment constitutes the first phase of a broader expansion strategy into China. Authorities confirmed that the country is in the final stages of finalizing an export protocol for cherries, while an agreement for blueberries could be reached later this year.
Industry representatives emphasize that access to the Chinese market has been the result of years of collaborative work between authorities and industry, particularly in meeting stringent phytosanitary standards.
With this first shipment, South Africa not only expands its presence in Asia but also strengthens its position as a reliable supplier of high-quality fruit in one of the most important markets in global agricultural trade.
Source: Portal Frutรญcola
*Photographs by John Steenhuisen, South African Minister of Agriculture, via X (formerly Twitter).
