South Africa Secures Market Access for Table Grape Exports to the Philippines

Cape Town: As South Africa's agricultural sector continues to drive economic growth, the country has successfully gained market access to export fresh table grapes to the Philippines. Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen announced the development in a statement on Wednesday afternoon. This marks a significant achievement for South Africa's agricultural industry, with producers now able to export table grapes to the Philippines. According to South African Government News Agency, the market was opened on 26 February 2025, allowing producers to start exporting table grapes to the Philippines. The negotiations for this market began on 20 January 2015 and took about 10 years to secure market access. The Minister highlighted South Africa's position as one of the top five global exporters of table grapes and underscored the industry's vital role in the country's economy, contributing significantly to foreign exchange earnings, employment, and agricultural growth. The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) repo rts that approximately 55% of the country's table grape exports are destined for the European Union (EU), while 20% are sent to the United Kingdom (UK). During the 2022/23 season, a total of 63 million cartons of table grapes were exported, with the industry providing jobs to around 86,870 seasonal workers and 14,843 permanent employees. Steenhuisen noted that opening the Philippines market will also advance the Department of Agriculture's empowerment initiatives, particularly in fostering participation by black farmers in international export markets. Expanding access to agricultural markets is expected to drive increased production, boost exports, and enhance the sector's contribution to South Africa's gross domestic product (GDP). "Just yesterday, data released by Statistics South Africa shows that our economy expanded by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024, with agriculture being one of the sectors that primarily drove this growth with better performance in livestock, some field crops, and fruits," the M inister said. To ensure successful exportation, South African exporters must comply with the applicable phytosanitary and food safety standards as outlined in the final phytosanitary import conditions for exporting fresh table grapes to the Philippines. The Minister urged interested exporters, including production units and packhouses, to register with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DALRRD) to obtain the necessary codes. Steenhuisen emphasized the importance of implementing good agricultural practices, including orchard sanitation and integrated pest management, to ensure compliance with the phytosanitary import conditions. He stressed that safeguarding this market is crucial, given the lengthy negotiation process to obtain market access. An announcement will be made when the first consignment is ready for loading, the Minister added.