South Africa secures market access for table grape exports to the Philippines

7/3/2025 6:29

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 made the announcement in a statement on Wednesday afternoon, highlighting the significance of this achievement for the South African agricultural industry.

"The market was opened on Feb. 26, 2025, which means that producers can start exporting table grapes to the Philippines. The negotiations for this market started on Jan. 20, 2015 and took about 10 years to get market access," Steenhuisen said.

The minister highlighted South Africa's standing as one of the top five global exporters of table grapes and the important role the industry plays in the economy, from driving foreign exchange earnings to creating jobs and supporting agricultural growth.

According to the South African Table Grape Industry, about 55 percent of the country's table grape exports are destined for the European Union, while 20 percent are sent to Britain.

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 said that expanding access to agricultural markets will drive higher production, boost exports, and enhance the sector's contribution to South Africa's economy.

"Just yesterday, data released by Statistics South Africa shows that our economy expanded by 0.6 percent 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 minister said.

South African Table Grape Industry Association CEO Mecia Petersen said the industry looks forward to sending the first consignment, once the final administrative matters are dealt with.

"We have been working on expanding market access for South African table grapes and are very pleased at this outcome. The Philippine market presents exciting opportunities for our growers and exporters," Petersen said.