In a move to boost local farming exports, the South African agriculture sector has been urged to further explore export opportunities in Germany – the county’s second-largest global trading partner.
Speaking during the opening of the South African Pavilion at the Fruit Logistica trade show in Berlin last week, Jacob Moatshe, South Africa’s foreign economic representative in Germany, encouraged local producers to target German markets.
He said that Germany ranked as the world’s third-largest importer of agricultural and food products, making it one of Europe’s primary import markets.
Moatshe said that, in addition to being the world’s fourth largest economy, it was South Africa’s second biggest trade partner after China.
Trade between South Africa and Germany has steadily grown over the past couple of years through continued bilateral talks and a recently launched training programme for the increase in trade.
He said the programme was geared towards making local traders “export-ready to service the German and European markets”.
Twenty South African companies participated in last October’s launch of the “Fit for Partnership with Germany” cooperation initiative.
Moatshe said most of the companies that had participated in that process were already reaping the benefits. – Bjorn Vorster
