SOUTH AFRICA

Capital: Pretoria
Population:  48,700,000
Currency: Rand
Official Language(s): Afrikaans, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Naebele, Pedi, Sotho, Swazi, Venda, Tsongo

I. CHEMICAL MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS (MRLs)

    Please click on the above link for a list of chemical MRLs.

II. CHEMICALS AND ADDITIVE INFORMATION

    A. Chemical residue standards:

      South Africa defers to Codex when no South African MRLs have been established.

    B. Monitoring chemical residues:

    The South African Department of Health is the main food regulatory body and approves MRLs for pesticides.  Samples are checked often and randomly at the port with perishable items usually processed within two days.  Non compliant goods may be rejected, destroyed or disposed of outside of South Africa.

    C. Restrictions on use of waxes:

      None.

III. ORGANIC FRUIT REGULATIONS

No information.

IV. TARIFFS

    Fresh apples, pears and cherries are assessed a duty of 4 percent ad valorem on the FOB value of the fruit.

    A 14 percent value added tax is also assessed on all imports and domestic goods.

V. NON-TARIFF BARRIERS

A.  Labeling/Grading/Packing and Other Requirements:

South Africa has a significant number of requirements relating to the grading, packing and marking (labeling) of apples intended for sale in country.  Imported apples may be exempted from some of the South African provisions provided they comply with Codex or UNECE( United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) standards.   

South Africa’s regulations may be found on the web.   

UNECE Apple Standards may be found on the web:

    B. Seasonal restrictions:

      None

    C. Licenses and quotas:

      None.

    D. Currency Issues:

      None.

    E. Pest and plant disease restrictions:

Pacific Northwest pears, cherries and other stone fruits are prohibited from entering South Africa.

Apples from the Pacific Northwest may be exported to South Africa under the terms of the "Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Apple Fruit From the United States of America, Pacific Northwest States of Washington, Idaho and Oregon (PNW) to South Africa".  This protocol may be obtained from the Northwest Fruit Exporters (509/576-8004).

The main requirement is that the apples originate from an apple maggot pest-free area in the three Pacific Northwest states.

F. Solid Wood Packaging Material (SWPM) Regulations:

Please refer to the SWPM section of the NHC's Technical Bulletins and Industry Advice.

VI. SUBSIDIES

None

VII.  OTHER RESOURCE LINKS:

Governmental: 

VIII. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Special thanks to
FAS Field Office - South Africa

105 South 18th Street, Suite 105
Yakima, Washington 98901, USA
Voice: (509) 453-3193, Fax: (509) 457-7615

E-mail general@nwhort.org