A delegation from the Citrus Growers’ Association of South Africa (CGA) visited the Port of Durban this week to send off the first South African shipment of citrus to the Philippines – a historic occasion that follows 12 years of negotiations between the two countries.

The work plan to export South African citrus to the Philippines was signed between the Department Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Philippines Bureau of Plant and Industry at the end of 2020.

This Philippines market presents an export potential of 20 000 t of citrus fruit, with yearly export earnings of close to R205-million and additional job opportunities.

CGA CEO Justin Chadwick says the opening of the Philippines market also comes at a time when the South African citrus industry is expected to grow by a further 500 000 t over the next three to five years.

“Expanding access to new overseas markets is crucial if we want to avoid an oversupply of the region’s exports to our existing markets,” he says.

In terms of the current export season, the soft citrus-producing regions of South Africa are expected to show the most significant growth (up 29% from 2020) with mandarins expected to grow by 42% within this category.

This category makes up the biggest volumes of citrus imported by the Philippines, with over 80 000 t imported between 2016 and 2018 out of a total of 117 000 t of citrus imported over that period.

To date, Argentina and Australia have been the largest exporters of mandarins from the southern hemisphere to the Philippines.

However, Chadwick hopes that the South African citrus industry will surpass these countries as the main supplier of soft citrus to the Philippines over the next few years.

“The CGA will continue working with government to open and expand access in other key markets including China, the US, India, Japan, Vietnam and the European Union and, in this way, play our part in contributing towards job creation and inclusive growth,” he enthuses.