South Africa is set to send its first batch of avocados to China, highlighting a new chapter in agricultural cooperation between Africa and China.
China’s engagement with African agriculture is growing, with
avocados leading the latest wave of exports to the Chinese market.
“We now have the final go-ahead from the Chinese authorities to export avocados to China,” said Derek Donkin, CEO of the South African Subtropical Growers’ Association.South Africa joins Kenya and Tanzania as the third African nation to meet China’s strict sanitary and phytosanitary standards for avocado exports.
The journey to securing this market access began last year during President Xi Jinping’s visit to South Africa, where a bilateral agreement on related requirements was signed.China’s increasing interest in African agriculture extends beyond avocados. The country has also started importing soybeans, pineapples, chilies, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, and spices from various African nations.
Observers suggest that this diversification strategy is aimed at reducing China’s reliance on traditional suppliers from the United States, Europe, and Latin America.
“China’s approach to diversifying its food supply chain is strategic,” said Mandira Bagwandeen, a lecturer at Stellenbosch University. “It not only secures new food sources but also mitigates potential risks from geopolitical tensions.”
The Chinese market presents significant opportunities for African agriculture, as evidenced by the growing list of exports.“Agricultural cooperation is the epitome of how China and Africa render each other help,” said Mao Ning, a spokeswoman for China’s foreign ministry.
As China continues to open its markets to African products, there are hopes for even broader access. “South Africa enjoys access, but only for select products. The hope is for wider and more ambitious access,” said Wandile Sihlobo, chief economist at the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.
While African exports to China are still in the early stages, the potential for growth is evident. Initiatives like the “green lanes” for African produce and the electronic World Trade Platform (eWTP) are designed to facilitate trade and promote African products in China.
However, as Linda Calabrese, a senior research fellow at the Overseas Development Institute, pointed out, these initiatives are currently on a small scale, primarily supporting African agriculture rather than turning the continent into China’s food basket.
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