How Covid-19 is impacting on SA’s agriculture

JOHANNESBURG – The coronavirus has precipitated an unprecedented economic crisis.

The position of China as the second largest economy in the world and a major exporter has led to supply and demand shocks for the majority of economies around the globe.

China is a large importer of agricultural products and if the outbreak persists, this could have a negative impact on countries exporting their products. Indications are that the government has not imposed any additional sanitary or phytosanitary requirements on market access for primary sector products, exports and imports. Standing regulatory conditions are not yet affected.

However, due to measures to control the outbreak, some areas are in lockdown and it might become challenging to export to China. Exporters have to wait for the return of containers from China, some of which are currently stuck at depots.

South Africa exports a number of agricultural products to China. I will look at the impact of coronavirus on mohair exports to China.