South Africa Gains Market Access for Fresh Table Grapes to South Korea

As South Africa’s agricultural sector continues to assert itself as a key driver of economic growth, a major milestone has been achieved for the country’s table grape industry. Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, proudly announced that South Africa has secured market access for the export of fresh table grapes to the Republic of Korea (ROK).

The ROK officially notified the Republic of South Africa (RSA) of the market opening on 23 January 2026, allowing South African producers to start exporting fresh table grapes. The first consignment will be shipped once it is ready, with a formal announcement expected to follow.

This achievement is the result of more than 20 years of negotiations between technical teams from both countries. A key step in the process was a physical field verification visit to South Africa in February 2025, which concluded the ROK’s phytosanitary import requirements for table grapes.

South Africa is ranked among the top five global exporters of table grapes, and the industry plays a vital role in the economy by generating substantial foreign exchange, creating employment opportunities, and contributing to the growth of the agricultural sector. According to the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI), approximately 55% of South African table grapes are exported to the European Union and 20% to the United Kingdom.

The 2025/26 table grape season is progressing well, with an estimated 79.4 million 4.5 kg cartons earmarked for export, marking a 0.6% increase compared to the previous season.

Exporters, production units, and packhouses interested in entering the ROK market must register with the Department of Agriculture (DoA) to obtain a Production Unit Code (PUC) and a Packhouse Code (PHC). Registered growers are required to implement Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), including orchard sanitation and integrated pest management (IPM), to ensure that quarantine pests identified by the ROK are eliminated during production.

Compliance with these phytosanitary and food safety requirements is essential to safeguard this lucrative market and maintain access for future seasons. Detailed phytosanitary import conditions for the export of fresh table grapes from South Africa to South Korea are available on the DoA website:

https://www.nda.gov.za/images/Branches/AgricProducHealthFoodSafety/PlantProductionHealth/PlantHealth/export-from-sa/specialexportprotocols-prog-dir

With this development, South Africa’s table grape industry looks forward to strengthening its presence in Asia and reinforcing the country’s position as a global leader in fresh produce exports.