Pretoria – South Africa has reached a major milestone for its agricultural sector by shipping its first-ever consignment of stone fruit to China, under a new bilateral trade agreement that grants duty-free access to the Chinese market.

The inaugural shipment, consisting of around 20,000 cartons of premium-quality plums, including the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties, was prepared at the Freshness First Packhouse in Franschhoek, Western Cape. The event was attended by South Africa’s Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, and the Chinese Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng.

This export marks the implementation of an export protocol between the two countries, allowing South African stone fruits to enter China without tariffs. The Chinese market is enormous, importing nearly 200 billion dollars in agricultural products annually, yet South Africa currently holds only about 0.4 percent of this share.

Officials aim to double the value of stone fruit exports to China, currently estimated at around 21 million dollars, over the next four years.

According to Minister Steenhuisen, meeting China’s strict phytosanitary standards was essential to gain market access. Producers, cooperatives, and packing house workers were praised for their efforts in complying with these requirements.

This achievement is considered a historic moment for South Africa’s fruit industry. It not only provides a diversification of markets beyond traditional European buyers but also strengthens the sector’s resilience against tariff pressures and global trade fluctuations.

As South Africa capitalizes on this new trade corridor, similar protocols for other fruits, such as cherries and blueberries, are already being finalized to further expand access to the vast Chinese market.