Ahead of next Tuesday's Agricultural Budget Debate, the Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has outlined key priorities that will drive the growth of the South African citrus industry and export a total of 260 million 15-kg boxes by 2032. These priorities include improved market access, consistent biosecurity, and optimized logistics.

In the speech by South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen and the ensuing debate, the CGA expects to see an urgent and shared focus on facilitating agricultural growth.

This year's citrus export season is in full swing. It is projected to be another record year, with just over 171 million 15-kg boxes of citrus exported by the end of October, said Boitshoko Ntshabele, CGA Executive Director. "However, in the current uncertain trading environment and considering the economic pressures experienced by many of our growers, the continued growth of our sector should not be taken for granted. It requires the constant action of a variety of key players."

Citrus is South Africa's largest agricultural export industry, contributing 34 billion rand (€1,641.4 million/USD1,933 million) in foreign earnings per season. With a massive increase in citrus production projected for the coming years, a key priority must be improving market access for South African fruit. Without better access to all markets and the opening of new markets, increased citrus production cannot be channeled into new jobs. Uncertainty over US import tariffs is causing anxiety, as growers are increasingly unable to plan for the full season. Ensuring favorable access to the US market should be a priority, as should improving access to China and India, two countries that currently impose tariffs on South African citrus.

"The US, Chinese, and Indian markets offer significant potential for future growth. It's worth remembering that, as a general rule, every 10 million boxes of citrus exported by South Africa creates nearly 10,000 jobs, improving the lives of people in rural areas like Letsitele, Addo, and Citrusdal," said Gerrit van der Merwe, president of the CGA. Access to the citrus industry's largest export market, the European Union (EU), can also be significantly improved through the successful conclusion of the current disputes at the World Trade Organization over the EU's unscientific and unnecessary trade measures against citrus black spot (CBS) and codling moth (FCM)," Ntshabele recalled.

The CGA looks forward to continuing to work closely with the South African Department of Agriculture, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on all of the aforementioned market access issues. The CGA also welcomes Minister Steenhuisen's recent statements on the importance of biosecurity to South Africa's economic and social well-being. The CGA looks forward to his continued leadership on this important issue. "International trade in citrus depends on rigorous procedures, inspections, and rapid response plans. Constantly improving phytosanitary surveillance can prevent biosecurity crises similar to those we have recently seen in other industries," stated Dr. Ntshabele.

Ntshabele emphasized the need for decision-makers to urgently accelerate logistics reforms. The ability to transport produce to foreign markets reliably and in a timely manner is critical to agricultural growth. Paul Hardman, Chief Operating Officer of the CGA, stated: “While we have seen an improvement in port efficiency and no significant delays have been reported so far this season, the only long-term solution to South Africa’s unpredictable logistics landscape is greater private sector involvement. These projects must be advanced at a much faster pace if citrus exports are to increase in the coming years. There will be no real growth in export agriculture without structural reforms to the ports and rail network. We expect the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transport to remain consistent on this crucial issue.”

Ntshabele concluded: "In times of economic pressure, cooperation and mutual benefit remain vital, whether between trading partners, the public and private sectors, or government departments. We are confident that the priorities set out during next Tuesday's agricultural budget debate will take into account what is needed for our industry to contribute substantially to job creation in South Africa."