South African Cherry Producers Gain First-Ever Access to Chinese Market
Farmers Magazine | 08.09.2026 15:28
A new chapter has opened for South African agriculture as cherry producers gain access to the Chinese market for the first time. Agriculture Minister Willie Aucamp signed a landmark protocol on 8 September 2026 that clears the way for South African cherries to enter China under agreed sanitary and phytosanitary requirements. The agreement was signed in Beijing during the 9th Sanitary and Phytosanitary Ministerial Meeting alongside Minister Sun Meijun of the General Administration of Chinese Customs. The milestone creates a new export opportunity for South African fruit producers while strengthening agricultural trade ties between South Africa and China. For the local cherry industry, access to one of the world’s largest consumer markets could create opportunities for expansion, investment and long-term growth.
