SA's agricultural sector shows resilience amid global trade headwinds
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said South Africa's exports had not only remained competitive but have increased in the second quarter of 2025 to $161 million.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen witnesses the first shipment of apples from SA to Thailand in over 16 years. Picture: @jsteenhuisen/X
JOHANNESBURG - The South African agricultural sector has shown remarkable growth and resilience in the face of significant global trade headwinds.
Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said South Africa's exports had not only remained competitive but have increased in the second quarter of 2025 to $161 million.
This is up by 26 percent from the same period in 2024.
Steenhuisen said it was important to look at the second quarter performance with a forward-looking perspective.
The recent imposition of a 30 percent tariff on exports by the United States has brought to light the urgent need to diversify SA's export markets and increase the country's competitiveness to mitigate the economic impact of losing preferential trade access.
READ: Steenhuisen prioritising Asian markets as SA looks to diversify its trade
He said the results of the second quarter also highlighted how urgent it was to resolve the ongoing tariff talks with the US.
In the first quarter of 2025, South African agricultural exports to the US were $118 million.
The products leading the latest charge include a variety of fruits such as citrus, grapes, apples and pears, nuts and wine.
Steenhuisen said as the country continues to negotiate with the US for a better trade deal, the focus remains on ensuring that farmers and exporters can continue to thrive in the global marketplace.