Fruitfulsupplychain

China’s huge fruit market can take South Africa closer to its national development target

Ultimately, growth of our industry in the form of exports contributes to the development of South Africa in the much-needed form of job creation, rural development and earning foreign exchanges.

Not long after the festive season has ushered in 2017 in South Africa, merrymaking will be in full swing in China. This year the Chinese New Year celebrations begin at the end of January and continue into early February. The protracted period of heightened consumer spending has exporters rubbing their hands with glee in anticipation of bumper business opportunities. During this extended period of festivities China will see a spike in the consumption of fruit, with apples, grapes and pears forming part of celebratory meals as well as gift hampers.

Fruit farmers in South Africa are hoping to be an important part of this supply chain with a recent agreement expected to make the export process much smoother. At the same time, negotiations are continuing to add more South African fruit varieties to the export list. implemented shortly after the signing of the MOU,” he told Chinafrica.

China is one of the biggest grape markets with its 1.3 billion population. Its grape demand has been growing by 30 percent annually from 2010, and buyers are ready to pay a premium for imported grapes. Still, in 2015, South Africa exported only about 10,600 tons of table grapes to China, a mere 600-ton increase on the volume in 2014, according to statistics from global fruit industry information provider Fruit.net.