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The Department of Agriculture recently announced that South Africa has regained market access for exportation of fresh apples from South Africa to the Kingdom of Thailand. The import conditions for this market were Gazetted on 18 December 2024. This market had been closed for approximately 16 years (from January 2008 to December 2024) due to changes in requirements by the trading partner.
Apples are one of the most important deciduous fruits grown in South Africa, taking into consideration its foreign exchange earnings and employment creation. The South African apple industry is export-oriented with approximately half of the apples produced being absorbed by the export market. According to Hortgro, South African apple exports have surged by 40% over the past decade, which was largely driven by exports to the Far East and Asia, which currently account for about 35% of all South African apple exports.
All fresh apples to be exported from South Africa to the Kingdom of Thailand, must meet all agreed-upon and applicable phytosanitary requirements. The fruit must also be free from quarantine pests of concern to the Kingdom of Thailand, as listed in the final phytosanitary import conditions for export of fresh apples from South Africa to the Kingdom of Thailand. Commercial orchards, packhouses or export establishments wishing to export apples to the Kingdom of Thailand, must be registered and approved by the Department of Agriculture. These registered orchards must implement good agricultural practices that include effective integrated pest management and orchard sanitation.
The final phytosanitary import conditions for the export of fresh apples from South Africa to the Kingdom of Thailand, have been published and can be accessed on this link: https://www.dalrrd.gov.za/images/Branches/AgricProducHealthFoodSafety/PlantProductionHealth/PlantHealth/export-from-sa/import-requirements-for-apples-from-south-africa-to-thailand.pdf – Press release, Department of Agriculture
