Written by Siphesihle Zangwa, researcher, University of Mpumalanga. Cleaned up and edited by Samukelo Moloko, publisher, MzansiFarm. Updated 6 November 2026.
A South African farmer exporting fruit to Kenya may qualify for reduced import duties under the African Continental Free Trade Area. A farmer selling the same produce to Namibia would generally continue using the existing Southern African Customs Union or SADC trade arrangements.
The distinction matters because the African Continental Free Trade Area, known as AfCFTA, is opening trade routes beyond South Africa's established regional markets. It creates opportunities for agricultural exporters selling fruit, vegetables, processed foods, sugar and other products to buyers in different parts of Africa.
South Africa started trading under the agreement on 31 January 2024. The first consignments went to Ghana and Kenya. However, the initial shipments consisted of value-added manufactured products, not a demonstration that agricultural exporters had already gained widespread access to new markets.
1. What Is the African Continental Free Trade Area?
The AfCFTA is an African Union agreement intended to create a single market for goods and services across the continent.
The agreement was signed in Kigali, Rwanda, on 21 March 2018 and entered into force on 30 May 2019. It brings together the African Union's 55 member states, although not every country has completed the requirements for participation.
By the end of September 2026, 50 of the 54 signatory countries had deposited their instruments of ratification. Eritrea remained the only African Union member that had not signed the agreement.
The agreement covers trade in goods and services, customs cooperation, investment, competition, intellectual property and other areas of economic cooperation.
For agricultural businesses, the trade in goods provisions are particularly important. They deal with import duties, product origin, customs procedures, plant and animal health requirements and the removal of unnecessary trade restrictions.
The aim is to make it easier for African businesses to sell products to customers in other African countries.
2. How AfCFTA Tariff Reductions Work
The agreement does not remove every import duty immediately. Countries are required to reduce tariffs gradually, according to agreed product categories and implementation periods.
Under the tariff liberalisation framework:
| CategoryShare of tariff linesTreatment | ||
| Category A | 90% | Duties reduced over five to ten years |
| Category B | 7% | Sensitive products receive a longer period of ten to thirteen years |
| Category C | 3% | Products excluded from tariff liberalisation |
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition expects 97% of tariff lines to reach zero customs duty by 2035.
Agricultural products do not all receive the same treatment. A country can classify certain agricultural products as sensitive or exclude them from tariff reductions, including where food security and domestic production are concerns.
A South African exporter must therefore check the tariff for the specific product and destination country. The fact that two countries belong to AfCFTA does not mean every product entering either country is automatically duty-free.
The AfCFTA e-Tariff Book provides access to the relevant tariff schedules.
3. South Africa's Participation in AfCFTA
South Africa completed its domestic requirements and began preferential trade under AfCFTA on 31 January 2024.
The launch took place at the Port of Durban. The first consignments were destined for Ghana and Kenya, marking South Africa's participation in the Guided Trade Initiative.
The initiative allows participating countries to test the customs procedures, tariff documentation and trading arrangements needed to implement the agreement.
South Africa's initial tariff offer covered 90% of its tariff book through the Southern African Customs Union's provisional schedule.
According to the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, South Africa can trade preferentially with countries that have implemented the relevant tariff preferences. Its current AfCFTA information lists the following markets:
- Algeria
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Egypt
- Ghana
- The Gambia
- Kenya
- Morocco
- Rwanda
- Tunisia
- Uganda
The list of operational markets and applicable product tariffs should be checked before each shipment because participation alone does not establish that a particular product qualifies.
The department provides information through its AfCFTA implementation page.
4. Africa Is Already South Africa's Biggest Agricultural Export Market
South African farmers and agricultural businesses already sell substantial quantities of produce to other African countries.
The National Agricultural Marketing Council's Agricultural Trade Performance Brief for 2025 reports that agricultural exports reached a record US$15.1 billion during the year. Africa accounted for 42% of the export value, making it South Africa's largest regional agricultural market.
The main individual destinations included:
| CountryShare of South Africa's total agricultural exports | |
| Zimbabwe | 8% |
| Mozambique | 6% |
| Namibia | 6% |
| Botswana | 6% |
The Netherlands remained the largest individual destination, receiving 12% of South Africa's agricultural exports. The United Kingdom received 7%.
The NAMC's first-quarter 2026 trade update put Africa's share at approximately 44% of agricultural export value.
These figures show that African markets already account for a large part of South Africa's agricultural business. However, most of the leading neighbouring markets have established regional trade arrangements with South Africa.
Zimbabwe and Mozambique participate in the SADC Trade Protocol, while Namibia and Botswana are members of the Southern African Customs Union.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition confirms that trade with SADC countries covered by the existing arrangements continues under the relevant SADC and SACU preferences rather than AfCFTA.
The additional markets available through AfCFTA are therefore particularly relevant to exporters looking beyond southern Africa.
5. Which Agricultural Products Could Benefit?
South Africa produces a range of agricultural goods that can be sold to other African markets. These include fresh fruit, vegetables, sugar, meat products, grains and processed food.
The country's export industry already has established buyers and distribution networks for several of these products.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
Citrus, apples, grapes, avocados and other fresh produce have established export industries in South Africa.
Exporters looking at East and West African markets can investigate whether AfCFTA tariff preferences apply to their products.
Fresh produce still has to meet the importing country's plant-health requirements. A reduced tariff does not remove inspection requirements or the need for phytosanitary certification where applicable.
Sugar and Processed Agricultural Products
Sugar was one of the products identified by Moses Lubinga in a 2019 NAMC commentary on AfCFTA.
His research used potential sugar exports from South Africa to Kenya as an example of the market opportunities that could arise from reduced tariffs.
Processed agricultural products also offer opportunities for South African manufacturers. Products such as fruit juice, canned vegetables, food ingredients and packaged foods can be sold across borders, provided they satisfy the applicable origin and import requirements.
Meat and Livestock Products
South African meat producers may also examine opportunities in African markets.
However, livestock and meat exports involve additional requirements. Importing countries can impose animal-health conditions, disease restrictions, inspection procedures and slaughterhouse approval requirements.
A tariff preference does not allow meat to enter a country without the required veterinary documentation.
6. Why African Agricultural Trade Still Faces Problems
Lower import duties do not automatically make cross-border agricultural trade straightforward.
Moses Lubinga's 2019 NAMC commentary reported that trade between African countries accounted for only 20% of the continent's agricultural exports in 2018.
The research identified several obstacles that affected agricultural exporters, including restrictive rules of origin, plant-health requirements and delays at customs points.
These problems remain relevant to the implementation of AfCFTA.
Rules of Origin
Rules of origin determine where a product is considered to have been produced.
A product does not qualify for reduced AfCFTA tariffs simply because it is shipped from South Africa. It must satisfy the agreement's origin requirements.
Goods can qualify because they are wholly obtained in a participating country or because they undergo the required level of processing or transformation.
For an agricultural producer, this distinction is important when exporting crops grown in South Africa or food products made using imported ingredients.
The applicable rule depends on the product's tariff classification. Exporters should check the specific origin requirement before preparing their documentation.
The AfCFTA Secretariat completed the outstanding rules of origin negotiations for automotive and clothing and textile products in February 2026. Tralac reported in March 2026 that all product-specific rules of origin had been agreed.
Plant and Animal Health Requirements
Countries have the right to protect their agricultural industries against pests, diseases and contaminated products.
Fresh fruit and vegetables may need to meet requirements covering pests, diseases, pesticide residues and phytosanitary certification.
Meat and livestock products face veterinary and animal-health controls.
These checks remain in place under AfCFTA. Exporters can still encounter difficulties where documentation differs, inspection procedures are slow or authorities interpret requirements inconsistently.
Customs Delays and Transport Costs
Agricultural produce can lose value when it spends too long at a border.
Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products require suitable storage and transport conditions. Delayed clearance can lead to spoilage, additional storage charges and missed delivery dates.
Brookings highlighted these difficulties in its 2024 analysis of African regional trade. Its review of the Guided Trade Initiative reported problems involving unfamiliarity with tariff schedules, long delivery times and high transport costs.
For South African farmers, road freight, border procedures and cold-storage availability can affect whether a distant African market is commercially viable.
7. South Africa's Agricultural Exports Under AfCFTA
The value of South African trade conducted specifically under AfCFTA preferences is not the same as the value of all exports to Africa.
In May 2025, Trade, Industry and Competition Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield reported that South Africa's preferential exports under AfCFTA had reached approximately R820 million between January 2024 and March 2025.
The exports included mining equipment, appliances, food items, clothing, plastics and electrical machinery.
The published figure covers different industries. It does not provide a separate value for agricultural goods or identify how much of the R820 million came from farm produce.
This distinction is important when assessing how much the agreement has actually contributed to South African farming. The NAMC's agricultural export figures cover trade with African markets generally, including exports made under existing regional arrangements.
They cannot be used as a measure of agricultural exports conducted specifically under AfCFTA preferences.
8. New AfCFTA and AGRA Partnership Focuses on Agricultural Trade
In February 2026, the AfCFTA Secretariat and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa signed a partnership aimed at increasing agricultural trade across the continent.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa.
The partnership focuses on practical issues affecting farmers and agricultural businesses. Its work includes:
- Reducing non-tariff barriers affecting agricultural trade.
- Improving customs and border procedures.
- Supporting value addition and food processing.
- Developing regional agricultural supply chains.
- Mobilising investment in agricultural businesses.
The initiative is connected to the AfCFTA Agri-Trade Action Plan, which aims to improve the movement of agricultural products between African markets.
For South African exporters, the work is relevant because market access requires more than an agreement to reduce customs duties. Farmers also need buyers, reliable transport, workable export procedures and the ability to meet the receiving country's product standards.
The AfCFTA Secretariat and AGRA partnership announcement of 16 February 2026 sets out the programme's objectives.
9. How South African Farmers Can Export Under AfCFTA
Farmers and agricultural businesses interested in using the agreement should establish the requirements before negotiating a final selling price or arranging transport.
Identify the product and its tariff code. Every product has a Harmonised System classification. The code is used to identify the product in customs documents and to find the relevant tariff schedule.
Check the destination country. Confirm that the importing country has implemented AfCFTA preferences with South Africa.
Check the tariff reduction. Look up the product in the importing country's tariff schedule. Confirm the current preferential duty and whether the product is covered by an agreed tariff offer.
Confirm the rules of origin. Establish whether the crop or processed product qualifies as originating under AfCFTA. Keep production records and supplier documents that support the origin claim.
Register with SARS. Exporters and producers must register with the South African Revenue Service for AfCFTA trade. Since 1 November 2025, applications for AfCFTA exporter, approved exporter and producer status can be submitted through SARS's Registration, Licensing and Accreditation system.
Obtain the required origin documentation. Arrange the AfCFTA Certificate of Origin and any supporting supplier declarations required for the shipment.
Check the importing country's agricultural requirements. Contact the relevant agricultural and veterinary authorities about phytosanitary certificates, veterinary certificates, pesticide-residue limits, inspections and any other conditions.
Agree on delivery and payment. Confirm the buyer, price, delivery destination, transport responsibility, insurance and payment terms before the goods leave the farm or processing facility.
SARS provides the AfCFTA registration and customs information. The e-Tariff Book and rules-of-origin documents are available through the AfCFTA portal.
10. Reporting Problems With African Trade
Businesses that encounter problems with AfCFTA customs procedures or non-tariff restrictions can report them through the continental online mechanism.
The AfCFTA Non-Tariff Barrier Reporting Mechanism allows businesses to report restrictions that interfere with trade between participating countries.
Examples include unnecessary documentation, unexplained customs delays, difficulties obtaining permits and inconsistent application of import requirements.
South African businesses can also contact the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for assistance with trade barriers affecting their exports.
Research Sources and Further Reading
Government and trade implementation
Parliament of South Africa — Agriculture Committee Briefed on AfCFTA Implementation, 2 April 2025 — Departmental briefing on South Africa's participation and the Guided Trade Initiative.
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition — AfCFTA — Tariff concessions, participating countries, origin requirements and implementation information.
South African Revenue Service — AfCFTA Customs Automation, 18 November 2025 — Exporter and producer registration through the RLA system.
Agricultural trade and market opportunities
National Agricultural Marketing Council — Agricultural Trade Performance Brief 2025 — South African agricultural export values and destination markets.
National Agricultural Marketing Council — What Does the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement Mean for South Africa's Agricultural Sector? — Research by Dr Moses Lubinga on intra-African agricultural trade, sugar exports and non-tariff barriers.
National Agricultural Marketing Council — Agricultural Trade Performance Q1 2026 — Recent agricultural export performance and Africa's share of South African exports.
Implementation and trade barriers
Brookings — Trade and Regional Integration: Foresight Africa 2024 — Implementation challenges, transport costs and customs procedures.
Tralac — AfCFTA Legal Texts, Tariff Offers and Rules of Origin — Ratification status, product-origin requirements and tariff schedules.
AfCFTA Secretariat and AGRA — Agricultural Trade Partnership, 16 February 2026 — Plans to improve agricultural trade and regional value chains.
AfCFTA Non-Tariff Barrier Reporting Mechanism — Online reporting of trade restrictions affecting African businesses.
