South African table grape industry welcomes US tariff cuts but disappointed by exclusion of key fruit exports

The South African Table Grape Industry (Sati) has said that the recent US decision to reduce import tariffs on some agricultural products represents a constructive step towards levelling the playing field in global agricultural trade.

However, Sati is concerned that key South African agricultural exports – including table grapes, soft citrus and other deciduous fruits – were not included among the exempted products.

The industry body said these exclusions mean that the country’s fruit exporters will continue to face significant cost pressures when entering the market, despite South Africa’s long-standing position as a reliable, counter-seasonal supplier of fresh grapes to US importers and consumers.

“We welcome any movement towards tariff reduction,” said Sati chief executive, Mecia Petersen. “However, it is disappointing that table grapes were excluded from the list of exempted products, given the USA’s reliance on imported grapes.

”Our industry is committed to supplying high-quality fruit to global markets, including the USA.

”We strongly believe that South Africa should be afforded fair and equal treatment alongside other Southern Hemisphere suppliers, who currently enjoy reciprocal tariff rates much lower than South Africa’s,” she noted.

In volume terms, South Africa is the fourth largest exporter of table grapes in the world and the third largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with around 400,000 tonnes exported in the 2024 calendar year.

“We have been supplying the USA for more than 20 years and industry has invested in resources that enable South Africa to meet the USA market’s high specifications,” Petersen continued.

“In the 2024/25 season, South Africa exported approximately 2.2mn 4.5 kg cartons (9,900 tonnes) of table grapes to the USA, valued at roughly R360mn (US$21mn).

”This increased from 1.3mn 4.5 kg cartons (6,000 tonnes) in 2023/24, indicative of the positive trend in the USA’s demand for South African table grapes,” she outlined. 

Sati, together with the South African Agricultural Business Chamber and the International Fresh Produce Association, will urgently submit a formal motivation to the US Trade Representative requesting clarity on how product exemptions were determined and appealing for the inclusion of South African table grapes and other affected commodities, to lower prices for US consumers, Petersen confirmed.

South Africa has now entered the 2025/26 table grape export season, and the US market remains challenging due to higher tariff levels applied to South African grapes relative to competitors such as Chile and Peru.

These higher duties raise the landed cost of South African fruit and limit the industry’s ability to compete effectively in the market.

Petersen said that Sati remains committed to supporting its members through ongoing market access negotiations, sustained industry-government collaboration, and proactive engagement with international trade partners. 

“We will continue to support the government’s efforts to negotiate a fair tariff regime that places South Africa on a level playing field with other Southern Hemisphere producers,” she added.