Steenhuisen prioritising Asian markets as SA looks to diversify its trade
This is part of government’s five-point response to the USA's punitive trade policy which saw imports from South Africa slapped with a 30% duty.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen during a media briefing on government's response to the US reciprocal tariffs on 12 August 2025. Picture: @the_dtic/X
JOHANNESBURG - Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said that Asian markets were on his priority list as the country doubles down on diversifying trade.
This is part of government’s five-point response to the USA's punitive trade policy, which saw imports from South Africa slapped with a 30% duty.
While Pretoria has submitted a new deal to try and bring this figure down, South Africa is continuing with plans to develop an economic response package for vulnerable companies and find alternative markets for some of its products.
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The US is SA's third-largest trading partner after the EU and China, exporting mostly precious stones and metals, cars and car parts, iron and steel, aluminium products and edible fruit.
Steenhuisen said that China was a top destination for SA's agricultural exports, adding stone fruit to the basket.
"This is significant in a number of ways – it’s the first time that China has negotiated more than one product with us at a time, usually they negotiate one fruit type at a time. We’ve got five in this particular deal – apricots, nectarines, peaches, plums and prunes. We hope to conclude this protocol on the sidelines of the G20. The next mission will be cherries and mangoes and we are already advanced in terms of the negotiations there."