China, South Africa to boost fruit trade

The China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) and Fruit South Africa (FruitSA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding Monday to broaden fruit trade between two countries.

The memorandum covers a wide variety of products, including apples, pears, grapes, citrus and subtropical fruits, according to Mashudu Silimela, agriculture counsellor at the South African Embassy in Beijing.

"Both parties have agreed to exchange information on quarantine and inspection, regulatory matters, market access, market improvement and market development, technologies and other related issues," said Willem Bestbier, chairman of FruitSA.

Silimela said signing the memorandum would create a favorable environment for the development of the fruit trade between the two countries, and establish an effective cooperative mechanism between FruitSA and CIQA.

FruitSA and CIQA are both national non-profit organizations whose stakeholders are growers, growers associations and export enterprises.

South Africa is a leading exporter of citrus fruit in the world, while China is a major importer of South Africa's citrus fruit in Asia. Endi