South African Stone Fruit Exports Rise 15% as China Market Opens

Data released by Hortgro, South Africa’s deciduous fruit industry governing body, show that the country’s total stone fruit export volume rose by 15% to 32.4 million cartons in the 2025/26 season. All major categories recorded growth: cherries led with a 111% increase to 487,871 cartons, peaches rose by 41% to 2.7 million cartons, nectarines grew by 21% to 12.6 million cartons, plums rose by 6% to 15.8 million cartons and apricots increased by 1% to 749,874 cartons.

According to Hortgro, higher peach and cherry production drove the overall increase. Newly productive cherry orchards, early-bearing nectarine plantings and a higher proportion of export-grade peaches all contributed. The season’s gains came despite difficult conditions. Early warm, dry weather reduced fruit size, while hail and flooding affected production regions in late March. In May, a cold front brought severe flooding to parts of the Western Cape, with strong winds adding further pressure.

Alongside this growth, South Africa secured a new market for its stone fruit: China. The agreement granting South African stone fruit access to the Chinese market was signed on Oct. 15, 2025, followed by a notice from China’s General Administration of Customs setting the phytosanitary requirements for fresh peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots and prunes one month later. Meanwhile, qualifying South African exports also benefit from zero-tariff access. The government aims to double the country’s stone fruit export revenue — currently about 400 million South African rand ($24.4 million) — within four years.

The first shipments followed soon after. On Feb. 9, 2026, South African nectarines arrived by air in Shanghai and were unloaded at the Shanghai Huizhan Fruit and Vegetable Market, marking the first entry of South African stone fruit into China. On Feb. 10, plums also began arriving by air freight. In late February, Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng, together with South African Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, visited the Freshness First Packhouse in Franschhoek, where roughly 20,000 cartons of premium plums — primarily the African Delight and Ruby Star varieties — were being packed for export. This marked not only the first plum shipment to China but also South Africa’s first large-scale export of fresh stone fruit to the Chinese market.

According to China’s General Administration of Customs, China imported 19.4 metric tons of fresh South African peaches (including nectarines) and 250.6 metric tons of plums between January and May 2026. As one of the world’s largest import markets for fresh fruit, China offers South African exporters an opportunity to diversify beyond traditional European and Middle Eastern destinations while tapping rising demand for premium imports. Agreements for cherry and blueberry access are still under negotiation, with cherries expected to be next. South African cherry exports begin in week 41 (mid-October), with peak shipments running from weeks 46 to 52 — about two weeks ahead of Chile, the other major Southern Hemisphere producer.

Image: Pixabay

This article was based on a Chinese article. Read the original article.