SA’s citrus industry has smashed export records, delivering 203.4-million cartons to global markets for the 2025 season — a 22% surge that agriculture minister John Steenhuisen said cemented the country’s position as a powerhouse in the global fruit trade.
Steenhuisen has welcomed the announcement of a record-breaking export season, saying the figures have significantly surpassed both initial estimates and long-term growth projects.
He said the achievement was a testament to the resilience and strategic foresight of citrus growers, workers and industry leadership.
“Hitting over 203-million cartons for the export market is a powerful indicator of the sector’s vital role in our economy, it’s capacity to create jobs and its contribution to our country’s foreign earnings,” Steenhuisen said.
SA is the second-largest citrus exporter in the world after Spain.
“It continues to reinforce the role of the fruit industry, which remains the cornerstone of the agricultural sector in the country and a national economy stabiliser in times of a national economic crisis, as witnessed during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
The 2026 citrus industry is expected to hit even bigger milestones, following an exemption of US tariffs on citrus products going into the country.
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) said the exemption once again made the country’s oranges competitive in the US market, which held significant opportunities for increased exports and local job creation.
The 30% US tariffs on SA’s imports only came into effect in August 2025, towards the end of the 2025 season which had limited impact on citrus exports to the US.
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said the exemption was positive news for the local citrus industry, considering the Sundays River Valley was the single biggest citrus production area in the country.
About 40-million cartons were exported this past season to Europe, the Middle East, Canada and Asia.
“The Western Cape exports citrus to the US and with the exemption now in place, this prevents the Western Cape from competing with the Sundays River Valley for the same markets.
“The exemption effectively retains much-needed jobs in the Sundays River Valley, which peaks at around 20,000 people during the citrus season.
“Other nearby citrus-growing areas which will benefit from this development include Patensie and Fort Beaufort.”
CGA chief executive Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele said growers were able to increase and fast-track shipments to the US before the tariff deadline.
“SA has been a partner to the US in citrus supply for many years,” Ntshabele said.
“In their summer, when their own growers are out of season, we supply them with quality citrus.
“This keeps consumers in the category, ensuring stability and access to affordable imported fruit.”
CGA chair Gerrit van der Merwe said supply steadiness was not a luxury, it was a vital hedge against volatility for the American citrus industry, and an example of how global trade benefited everyday American consumers.
“This announcement takes some pressure off our community. There will be some big smiles on the farm.
“We have been deeply concerned about the future of our valley for many months,” Van der Merwe said.
Ntshabele said it was understood that mandarin (soft citrus) varieties were, however, not exempt from tariffs.
“Our mandarins are popular in the US. The US should consider extending the current exemption to include mandarins and other citrus varieties, because they share similar market dynamics and supply chain vulnerabilities.”
