Industry welcomes new access agreement while current tariffs remain a barrier to profitability
The South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) has welcomed the announcement of a new export protocol that will enable access for South African table grapes to Korea.
“The industry looks forward to shipping the first consignment during the 2026/2027 season, once the remaining administrative and oversight processes have been finalised,” said Mecia Petersen, CEO of SATI.
She said the achievement marked a significant milestone for the industry and was the culmination of more than 20 years of constructive engagement and close collaboration between government and industry stakeholders.
“We have been working consistently to expand market access opportunities for South African table grapes, and we are delighted with this positive development,” said Petersen. “The Korean market presents new opportunities for growers and exporters.”
Petersen added that SATI remains firmly committed to supplying high-quality fruit that meets the requirements of global markets.
“With access now secured, we look forward to building a presence for South African table grapes in the Republic of Korea,” she said.
The Korean access news came shortly after the announcement that China and South Africa had signed a new partnership agreement, granting South Africa a zero-tariff treatment on 100 per cent of tariff lines for its exports to China.
Despite the progress, the benefits for South African table grapes under both new agreements will likely be felt sometime in the future. It will take some time to get logistical arrangements underway; however, immediate benefits may also be delayed by other factors.
Trade circles in Korea have pointed out that even after official access have been granted, South African table grapes will still be subject to tariffs in the region of 45 per cent. Grape exporters from South Africa have said it wouldn’t be possible to supply the market profitably under those conditions.
They also note that at the same time Australia has a free trade agreement with Korea.
“Everything must now be done to get a free trade agreement in place between South Africa and Korea,” one exporter noted.
For China, where South African grape exporters had a tough time last year, there is also little enthusiasm to ship to the market this year.
“Market conditions are tough and the risks extremely high, with competitive supplies from India, China and Peru having put pressure on price levels,” the exporter concluded.
