Wandile Sihlobo, Chief Economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber (Agbiz), has urged South Africa to assert its interest in maintaining fluid trade within the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu). He insists that Namibia and Botswana should loosen their current vegetable restrictions.
Sihlobo emphasized the need for clear communication between the countries, especially if there are plans to rejuvenate their domestic vegetable industries. He also urged South Africa's agricultural and trade ministries to broaden their export markets to regions such as Asia and the Middle East, without compromising existing trade partnerships.
Given the large populations and robust economies of countries like India, China, and Saudi Arabia, Sihlobo believes these nations should be prioritized for trade and cooperation. He noted that these countries collectively import over $270 billion of agricultural products annually. However, South Africa's involvement in these markets remains minimal, something he advocates to change.
In the face of growing geopolitical tensions, Sihlobo stressed the importance of diversifying export markets and nurturing relationships with long-standing markets in the EU, Africa, and parts of Asia and America. He also highlighted the recent use of non-tariff barriers by the EU, citing the example of the "false codling moth" incident.
Finally, Sihlobo called for increased collaboration between agricultural stakeholders and authorities to improve trade and logistics for the long-term growth of South Africa's vital agricultural sector.
Source: www.iol.co.za