NEW MARKETS: South African citrus exporters juice up their India ambitions
South Africa’s push into India reflects a broader shift across Africa, where citrus growers are expanding production, processing and market access as competition for buyers intensifies.
South Africa's citrus growers are expanding their reach into India, a market of nearly 1.47 billion people, as African producers look to diversify away from traditional export destinations. The Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) and South Africa's Department of Agriculture recently updated fruit-fly cold-treatment protocols for fresh South African citrus, improving fruit quality and giving exporters greater logistical flexibility.
South African citrus exports to India jumped 85% in 2025, from under 4,000 pallets in 2016 to about 54,000 pallets. Despite tariffs of about 25% to 30%, India remains a critical market due to its large population and the seasonal advantage South Africa enjoys. However, trade is constrained by tariffs and disruptions due to the Middle East conflict, which have reduced empty container availability and increased shipping costs.
South Africa's citrus sector contributes 17% of the country's agricultural exports, employing over 100,000 people, but future growth will rely on expanding export markets. Zimbabwe and Botswana are also expanding citrus production and processing, with a $25-million processing plant in Zimbabwe and a $750-million project in Botswana.
Morocco, another key player, is focusing on expanding processing capacity, particularly for mandarins and tangerines, to counter tightening competition from the EU.
Written by urgent.news from Daily Maverick's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
