South Africa has successfully regained access to the Thai apple market after several years, according to an announcement made by Thai authorities at the end of 2024. This re-entry aligns with ongoing efforts to diversify export destinations and strengthen ties with the Far East.
Speaking to Farmer's Weekly, Roelf Pienaar, managing director of Tru-Cape, said South African deciduous fruits, such as apples and pears, were banned from the Thai market in 2008 over phytosanitary documentation issues.
After years of negotiation between the local apple industry and the Thai government to restore a US$20 million (about R379 million) trade deal, two Thai inspectors visited South Africa's key apple production areas in March last year. “Although South African apples have been unable to access the Thai market for several years, we continued…
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Farmer's Weekly (Digital) - 1 Issue, 24 January 2025