Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen and Chinese Ambassador Wu Peng witnessed preparations for the inaugural shipment on Thursday at the Freshness First Packhouse in Franschhoek.
The consignment comprises 20,000 cartons of premium plums, largely from the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties, underscoring South Africa’s ambitions to expand its footprint in Asia’s largest consumer market.
The shipment follows a recently signed agreement granting South African stone fruit duty-free access to China, which imports about $200 billion worth of agricultural products each year. South Africa currently captures only 0.4 percent of that market, leaving significant room for growth.
Steenhuisen described the development as a pivotal moment for the country’s fruit industry. “The Chinese market is a strategic necessity, not merely an opportunity for South Africa’s agricultural resilience,” he said, noting that the new access could help cushion exporters against tariff pressures elsewhere.
The minister also credited growers, industry bodies, and packhouse workers for meeting China’s strict phytosanitary standards, calling their contribution instrumental in unlocking the new market.
