Unlocking export markets: one voice, better value and proof from farm to plate

01A strong base to build on

Opening Day 2 of the Agri X Fusion Red Meat Value Chain Collaboration Summit, Wandile Sihlobo, Presidential Envoy on Agriculture and Land and Chief Economist at Agbiz, reminded delegates that South Africa is the most food-secure country in sub-Saharan Africa and among the world’s top 30 agricultural exporters, the only African country in that group. Investment in agriculture and public infrastructure, and the adoption of technology across value chains, have made a real difference.

At home, demand is there too. Dr Roelof Botha showed that retail trade sales are at their highest level in more than five years: “Yes, South Africa has money to spend.”

02Markets are reopening

The Minister of Agriculture, Willie Aucamp, told the Agri X Fusion Red Meat Value Chain Collaboration Summit that South Africa had regained red meat market access to Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt in the past two months. “Every market we open brings revenue straight back into our rural communities.” He also committed to faster service: registration of agricultural products and export permits “should not take years”, and the department is modernising and automating its systems to shorten approval cycles.

03Agriculture punches above its weight

Dr Roelof Botha pointed out that agriculture and food are now South Africa’s third-largest export earner, despite being less than 3% of GDP. He highlighted BFAP’s view that world-class traceability and identification systems, and a strong national animal health status, are what allow high-value cuts to be exported to high-value markets, and suggested adding the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with their very high incomes and appetite for South African meat, to the list of strategic markets.

Kobus Bester noted that the Netherlands could fit into South Africa 29 times, yet is one of the world’s largest agricultural exporters. The constraint, he argued, isn’t land. It’s finishing what we start.

Dr Tobias Doyer of Grain SA added the value-chain logic: it makes little sense to export grain, a high-volume, low-value product, when it can be converted into premium steaks, chicken and bacon for export markets. If South Africa captures even a fraction of the projected 14% growth in global protein demand, the whole chain benefits.

04The gap: strategy and finishing

Corlia Oberholzer of Red Meat Industry Services (RMIS) said the industry wants to expand exports but needs a strategy: “We need to know where to talk and what policies we need.” Limited export diversification and market intelligence came out as key challenges in RMIS’s Field to Future process.

Kobus Bester of Simbra was blunt about execution: “We have the inability to finalise, to get our score on the board and be better than our opponent. Who is our opponent? The rest of the world.” His proposals were public-private partnerships focused on exports, one export body to handle exports, better marketing of South African beef, and a beef grading system.

The value case is clear. In the United States, about 30% of a standard carcass is high-value cuts; in South Africa it is about 7%. “It’s how we deal with and market our product.”

05Traceability is the passport

When BFAP’s Gerhard van der Burgh asked who should pick up the bill for fixing the system, Kobus Bester answered that every participant needs to understand their obligation in the value chain. “It’s not whether we can afford to participate. It’s how long we can afford not to participate.” The approach should be a carrot, not a stick: “When you are traceable, when you can prove you’re properly vaccinated, when we can offer a traceability system from farm to plate, there is a better future for everyone… It should be self-funding.” The Gulf markets, he noted, have the money and are prepared to pay, but South Africa still mostly supplies commodity beef.

Francois Knowles of APAC stressed that clear regulation, consistent standards and reliable information underpin competitiveness. On Day 2 of the Agri X Fusion Red Meat Value Chain Collaboration Summit, he showed how transparent agency, trust accounts and a disciplined reporting rhythm keep markets honest for producers.

06Why market growth matters for the smallest farmers

Gerhard van der Burgh made the inclusion case vividly: think of a woman selling two weaner calves in Limpopo. If the weaner price rises by R5 000, that makes an enormous difference to her household. Any growth in the market, he said, helps alleviate poverty.

07Growing the pie

Gerhard van der Burgh of BFAP reminded delegates that about 41% of South Africa’s cattle and 86% of its goats are in small-scale hands, much of it outside the measured market. Wandile Sihlobo framed the goal clearly: “It’s not about how we replace one farmer with another, but how we make the pie bigger.”

Dr Mashego Maleka of AFASA showed how much value is lost when raw materials leave unprocessed. A raw hide can sell for around R120, while a finished leather handbag can sell for R4 500, about 37.5 times more. Building local processing, from tanning to leather goods, and by-products such as blood meal and tallow, keeps that value in rural economies. His motto: grow local, process local, eat local, export global.

Willem Basson of Agrihelp and AgrihelpTech added a practical warning: land access creates the opportunity, but a supported farming enterprise is what makes it productive. Bringing new farmers into export value chains starts with understanding whether each farmer, farm and enterprise is ready, and then supporting them to get there.