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The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes a milestone agricultural achievement this week, with the first export of South African plums to China under an agreement penned by by the Minister of Agriculture, and Leader of the Democratic Alliance John Steenhuisen.

This week Steenhuisen saw off the first shipment of South African plums (African Delight and Ruby Star plums) destined for China in terms of the landmark stone fruit protocol signed in October last year.

This enormous leap forward for South Africa’s fruit export industry comes before cherry and blueberry export protocols to China are also set to be in place in soon, under Minister Steenhuisen.

This first shipment of plums is a tangible demonstration that the agreement to open the Chinese market to South African stone fruit including plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and prunes is already delivering real results for farmers, exporters and agricultural workers.

We particularly commend the speed and efficiency with which this first consignment was processed and prepared for export. Rapid implementation of new trade access is critical in agriculture, where timing, logistics and market responsiveness directly affect farm income, job security and export competitiveness.

By diversifying beyond traditional buyers and tapping into growing demand in markets like China, South Africa strengthens the resilience of its agricultural sector and reduces vulnerability to external trade shocks which have become an unfortunate reality with the shifting geopolitical landscape.

The protocol with China has the potential to unlock hundreds of millions of rand in export value over the coming years, support new on-farm jobs, and stimulate investment and employment across the agricultural value chain, including transport, packaging and logistics.

The DA will continue to support all practical measures that open new markets, cut red tape, and grow the agricultural economy, because a thriving agricultural sector means more jobs, stronger rural economies, and greater food security for South Africa.

Issued by Beyers Smit MP - DA Spokesperson for Agriculture