Trump tariffs threaten 35,000 jobs, entire towns in South Africa's
citrus sector, farmers group says
[April 09, 2025] By
GERALD IMRAY
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — The new 30% tariffs set to be imposed on
South Africa by the Trump administration will threaten 35,000 jobs in
the country's citrus-growing sector and the economies of entire towns, a
farmers group said Tuesday.
The Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa said the impending
reciprocal tariffs, due to come into effect on Wednesday, will be deeply
damaging to South Africa's largest agricultural export.
The group said the tariffs would likely make South African citrus fruits
cost $4.25 more per carton for American consumers. South Africa provides
citrus to the U.S. market when it is out of season there.
South Africa is the second-biggest exporter of oranges behind Spain and
the world's fourth-largest exporter of soft citrus fruits, according to
the World Citrus Organization.
South Africa sends around 5%-6% of its citrus exports to the United
States, which is more than 6.5 million cartons per year, the growers'
association said, but some rural towns were specifically geared to and
heavily dependent on the U.S. market.
The farmers’ group cited the case of the town of Citrusdal, near Cape
Town, and said it faced major job losses and “maybe even total economic
collapse” because it was built on exporting citrus to the U.S. It said
there were other rural towns like it.
"There is immense anxiety in our communities,” said Gerrit van der Merwe,
the chairman of the Citrus Growers' Association and a citrus farmer near
Citrusdal.
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A truck is loaded with a container at a depo, in Johannesburg, South
Africa, Thursday, April 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
 The group said the tariffs were due
to come into effect the same week the first citrus fruit of the
South African season was being packed to be exported to the U.S. It
said it was urgently calling on the South African government to
prioritize negotiations with the U.S. on tariff reductions or
exemptions on citrus.
“Citrus is not produced in a factory,” Citrus Growers' Association
CEO Boitshoko Ntshabele said. “(South African) citrus growers do not
compete with U.S. citrus growers. In fact, quite the opposite. Our
high-quality produce sustains consumer interest when U.S. local
citrus is out of season, eventually benefitting U.S. growers when we
hand over at the end of our season.”
South Africa, the most diverse economy in Africa, has been
especially hard-hit by the policies of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump's cuts to U.S. foreign aid removed significant funding from
South Africa's AIDS program, which is the largest in the world and
treats around 5.5 million people. Trump has also issued an executive
order stopping other federal funding to South Africa over what he
said was the South African government's mistreatment of white
minority farmers, many of whom could now be negatively impacted by
his new tariffs.
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