South Africa exports of tangerines/mandarins are forecast to grow by almost 8 percent in 2022/23 to reach a record 560,000 tons on higher production and strong overseas demand. The European Union and the United Kingdom account for 45 percent of total South Africa exports followed by Russia (10 percent) and the United States (10 percent).
South Africa exports to the United States under African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) have quadrupled over the past 5 years, reaching nearly 50,000 tons in 2021/22. This trend is expected to continue based on the expanding consumer preference for tangerines/mandarins in the United States and continued duty-free market access under AGOA.
Local consumption of tangerines/mandarins is much smaller than oranges as the industry prioritizes export markets and mostly supplies surplus fruit to the local market. The increased use of pest management netting has yielded higher quality produce and has reduced the percentage of fruit that is considered surplus. However, some high-end retail chains sell export-grade citrus to domestic consumers. Therefore, local consumption of tangerines/mandarins is estimated to grow marginally to 48,000 tons in 2022/23
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For more information: fas.usda.gov