South African citrus farmers are sounding the alarm over new US tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, which could cost 35,000 jobs and hurt the country’s economy.
The tariffs, announced on April 2, slap a 31% duty on US imports from South Africa, with a baseline tariff of 10% on all imports and higher targeted duties on dozens of countries.
As the world’s second-largest citrus exporter after Spain, South Africa ships 5-6% of its produce to the US, earning over $100 million annually. The new tariff would add a $4.50 cost to each carton, making South African fruit less competitive in the US market.
This could devastate towns like Citrusdal in the Western Cape, which rely heavily on citrus exports to the US.
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) warns that the tariffs could lead to increased unemployment or even total economic collapse in affected towns.
CGA chairperson Gerrit van der Merwe says there’s “immense anxiety” in the communities.
The South African government has vowed to negotiate exemptions and quota agreements rather than retaliate against the US, its second-largest trading partner after China.
The tariffs have also raised concerns about the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants duty-free access to the US market for qualifying African countries.
The 25-year-old trade initiative is set to expire in September, and trade experts worry that losing AGOA privileges could further hurt South African exports.
