Browse Data and Analysis

The South African Department of Agriculture is in the process of finalizing requirements related to “control management systems,” which may include additional requirements of documentation to support label claims for imported food products.

On July 19, 2024, the South African government published a new sugar import tariff of R1,093 per metric ton (US$60.09/MT). This tariff change was triggered by a downward trend in global sugar prices and will apply to sugar imported into the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU).

In July 2024, falling global wheat prices triggered a wheat import duty of Rand 176.30 (USD 9.70) per metric ton for South Africa ending more than three years of duty-free imports. The higher import duty was introduced amid a 7 percent drop in wheat planted area for marketing year 2024/25.

South Africa will import around 10,000 MT of peanuts in the 2014/15 MY, as an 11 decrease in peanut production is expected due to a mid-summer drought that hit the summer rainfall production areas.

The impact of the 2014/15 MY drought in the sugar industry is expected to continue in the 2015/16 MY.

Since 2013, chicken meat prices in South Africa increased by 13 percent and in the past year by more than eight percent, as increased import tariffs of chicken meat escalate local prices.

South African Poultry Association implies that U.S. poultry producers’ access to the South African chicken market would destroy the local industry and cost thousands of jobs.

Oilseed production in South Africa is expected to decrease by 15 percent in the 2014/15 MY, due to a mid-summer drought that hit the main summer rainfall producing areas.