South Africa is set to boost agricultural exports to China by leveraging BRICS support and growing trade channels as local exporters report surging demand for diverse produce in the Chinese market.
Riyp, a leading South African fruit and vegetable exporter, supplies locally sourced produce to 45 countries worldwide. The company has experienced a significant surge in demand from China, benefiting from the expanding trade avenues between the two countries.
"When we started, we started only with citrus into China and that volume has been growing year on year. But more recently, we've also seen an increase in demand for our apples, as well as our grapes from the Chinese market," said Uzair Essack, owner and managing director of Riyp.
The South African agricultural produce received a significant boost after the 15th BRICS Summit in Johannesburg in 2023. Notably, China, South Africa's largest trading partner, has signaled a growing demand for its high-quality produce.
"BRICS has definitely helped South African and China trade. There's usually a lot of red tape when it comes to regulations and certifications regarding the fresh produce industry. But with BRICS and the support that they've given us, new varieties, new fruit cultivars, new types of fruit are now being exported to China," Essack said.
Greater buying power and evolving Chinese consumer tastes are driving demand for a variety of South African products, including wine.
"There is a much greater appreciation now for new world wines in particular. And South Africa is one of those. Obviously, Australia, Chile, New Zealand and South Africa and we have a very small percentage of the market, something like two or three percent of the imported wine market into China. So, the opportunities for growth are massive," said Andrew Ing, founder of Gun Bay Wines, a South African wine brand that started doing business with China five years ago.
Red meat, nuts, maize, soybeans, and wool, products on China's import priority list, are all produced by South African farmers and exported to China, among other countries. But lawmakers have their work cut out to gain a greater share of the Chinese market.
"It is a very good opportunity now to really pivot towards a greater percentage, going exports. We have a number of industries that would like to do a larger share of exports. Even our potato industry is underweight in terms of exports as a percentage of production. And for the red meat industry, it's the same," said Wolfe Braude, manager of the Agricultural Business Chamber of South Africa.
South Africa to boost agricultural exports to China
The three astronauts of China's Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceflight mission returned safely to Earth on Friday after completing their planned tasks aboard the Tiangong space station.
The return capsule of the Shenzhou-22 spaceship, carrying Shenzhou-21 astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang, touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region at 20:11 Beijing Time (1211 GMT), according to the China Manned Space Agency.
The returned astronauts were reported to be in good physical condition after landing, according to staff on site.
Zhang Lu was the first to exit the return capsule after it touched down on Earth.
"I'm thrilled to once again return to the embrace of our motherland. The Shenzhou-21 crew's seven-month stay in orbit would not have been possible without the care of our families and comrades, the support of leaders at all levels and all colleagues involved in the project, and above all, the backing of our country and our people. One sentence sums up my thoughts on my second space mission: 'It takes a whole team's devotion to make one person's voyage into the sea of stars,' " Zhang said in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV) shortly after he was carried out of the return capsule.
"I also have a gift to share with everyone. On the day of the Shenzhou-21 launch, the ground support team gave us an apple, wishing us a safe and smooth mission. Our safe return is their greatest wish. Tomorrow is May 30, the National Science and Technology Workers' Day. So when we left the space station, we specifically brought back an apple. We want to give it to all science and technology workers, and say 'thank you for your hard work'. At the same time, I wish our space industry continued prosperity, and every mission safe and smooth," he said.
"Returning to Earth and to the embrace of our motherland, I feel extremely secure and proud. Being entrusted with such a significant responsibility in my first space mission is a great honor. It is the trust of my country, the guidance of my predecessors, and the teamwork of the entire crew that enabled me to successfully complete the mission. This mission has taught me that the most beautiful posture of youth is to march out for the country. I will turn this space experience into the driving force for my continued progress, and continue to fight and strive for the manned space program," said crew member Wu Fei.
"From the ground laboratory to China's space station, it is our great motherland that has enabled me to achieve a perfect integration of my scientific ideals and spaceflight dreams. With the support of the entire project team, the assistance of researchers and scientists, and the care of so many people, our crew has worked as one and successfully completed all assigned scientific projects, including the first successful in-orbit breeding of small mammals, the growing of a thriving space vegetable garden with an even wider varieties, and the collection of valuable data from projects such as in-situ electrochemical and optical studies on lithium-ion batteries," said Zhang Hongzhang, who was the last of the astronauts to exit the spacecraft.
"Looking at Earth from space, I deeply felt that humanity is an indivisible community with a shared future. Now that I am back on Earth and have returned to my motherland, I feel an immense sense of security and warmth. Going forward, I will continue to build on these achievements and contribute to making China a strong power in space, science and technology," he said.
The returned crew members will now head to Beijing by plane and enter a quarantined recovery period, during which they will undergo comprehensive medical examinations and health assessments and start their recuperation process.
Prior to their return, the astronauts completed all planned tasks and handed over the space station to their three colleagues of the Shenzhou-23 mission who boarded the space station on May 25.
The crew's planned stay in-orbit was extended by approximately one month to further verify the technologies regarding the long-term stay of astronauts in orbit and fully use the supplies delivered by the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft in an emergency launch.
The Shenzhou-21 crew's original spaceship, which sent them into space on Oct 31 last year, was previously returned to Earth carrying the astronauts of the preceding Shenzhou-20 mission after tiny cracks were found in the viewport window of the Shenzhou-20 manned spacecraft's return capsule. That spacecraft was later safely brought back to Earth.
Shenzhou-21 crew return to Earth after successful seven-month mission in space
