President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with United States President Donald Trump tomorrow. Ramaphosa’s visit to the US follows recent statements made by Trump that South Africa was amid genocide against white people, in particular farmers.
Trump offered refugee status to Afrikaners, and with the recent 49 “refugees” having landed in the US, the bilateral meeting is set to discuss issues relating to trade, proposed tariffs to South Africa, and the alleged mistreatment of white farmers.
Minister of agriculture John Steenhuisen, who is accompanying Ramaphosa to the US, spoke to Food For Mzansi ahead of the meeting, and he emphasised the urgency of securing a favourable trade agreement with the US to protect South Africa’s agricultural exports.
Protecting agricultural exports
“Our exposure on the American market from agriculture is only 7% of our global exports, but it’s heavily concentrated in the citrus, table grape, wine and nuts sectors.
“So those sectors are very invested in the American market. What we want to do is to make sure that we keep access to those markets open and avoid a 30% tariff,” Steenhuisen said.
He warned that such a tariff would have devastating consequences. “A 30% tariff is going to make us uncompetitive in that market.”
The chief executive officer of the Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA), Dr Boitshoko Ntshabele, said 35 000 South African jobs are linked to SA-US citrus exports.
“A 30% US tariff on SA citrus would make us uncompetitive in this market, leading to immense economic damage in rural towns like Citrusdal in the Western Cape.
“The CGA is hopeful that the negotiation teams on both sides will be able to find each other. A trade deal that benefits both SA agriculture and the US market is completely feasible,” he said.
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Senior Agbiz agricultural economist Wandile Sihlobo said amid escalating trade tensions worldwide, the appropriate posture for South African agriculture on trade should not be to prefer one country over another, but to seek ways to multiply friendships and trade relations.
“China’s recent public statements about its interest in deepening agricultural trade with SA should not be seen as an avenue to replace US exports or other trading partners. Instead, this offers an opportunity to continue with export diversification,” he said.
Opportunity to tell the truth
Meanwhile, National African Farmers Union (Nafu) president Motsepe Matlala Ramaphosa’s US visit is an opportunity to give a clear and unbiased message to the US and, importantly, to strengthen relations.
“The trade between South Africa and the United States is critically important because it creates jobs, so we want to wish President Ramaphosa and his delegation all the best in the meetings.
“We would also like the delegation to relay the message that South Africa is a peace-loving country, And the message that has been put out there the there are other people of other races that are not being treated fairly should be addressed with facts and the notion that some people are being prosecuted should be addressed with seriousness it deserves,” he said.
Matlala said they would like the US delegation to tell the truth about the state of agriculture and the importance of the sector to the economy, and push for the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) that would benefit many sectors, in particular the citrus industry.
“We appeal to President Trump, do not listen to untruth statements, people who are anti-South Africa. We need to work together as the two nations when it comes to agriculture,” he said.
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