Global Times: Avocados carry significant story of China-South Africa cooperation

BEIJING, Aug. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh avocados, picked from the orchards of South Africa, could reach Chinese consumers within a very short period of time. In recent years, with the rising popularity of trends like "light" and "low-fat" diets, avocados have become increasingly favored by Chinese consumers due to their low sugar, high fiber, and rich unsaturated fatty acid content. From avocado salads and avocado smoothies to avocado tea drinks, the consumption scenarios for avocados in the Chinese market are becoming more diversified, and the consumption volume is increasing, which has brought new opportunities for avocados from South Africa and other countries to expand into the Chinese market.

Since gaining approval for export to China in 2023, South African fresh avocados have been steadily shipped to the Chinese market, injecting new momentum into China-South Africa economic and trade cooperation. Recently, People's Daily reporters visited South African avocado producers and the avocado industry association to explore the great story of friendly cooperation between China and South Africa behind this small fruit.

Boosting confidence

One recent morning, reporters drove north from the town of Tzaneen in South Africa's Limpopo Province. On both sides of the road, rolling hills were covered with lush forests, among which many avocado trees stood out. Ripe avocados hung from the branches - their glossy, shiny skins were particularly eye-catching.

At a Westfalia Fruit orchard in Tzaneen, workers dressed in green uniforms are using nets to pick avocados, placing them into backpacks slung across their shoulders. Once the backpacks are full, the workers load the avocados to transport vehicles, and the fruit is then taken to a packaging facility, where they undergo inspection, cleaning, sorting, and packaging.

Avocados are a major economic crop in South Africa, with more than 20,000 hectares under cultivation and an annual growth rate of 800 hectares. Limpopo is one of South Africa's main avocado-producing regions. Hans Boyum, commercial director for Africa at Westfalia Fruit, said that South Africa's annual avocado production is about 160,000 tons, of which 40 percent to 45 percent are exported to international markets, generating an annual export value of about 5 billion rand ($282.2 million).

In August 2023, South Africa became the third African country, after Kenya and Tanzania, to gain market access for fresh avocados to China. In October 2024, the first batch of South African avocados entered China through the "green channel" for African agricultural products and was showcased at the 7th China International Import Expo. In May this year, South African fruit export company ZZ2 exported the first batch of avocados from the 2025 season to China, selling them through physical supermarkets, online platforms and other channels. To date, South Africa has exported approximately 100 tons of avocados to the Chinese market.

"South Africa is Africa's largest avocado exporter, and the Chinese market provides more diverse export channels," Boyum said. The entry of South African avocados into the Chinese market not only provides Chinese consumers with more choices, but also boosts the confidence of South African avocado practitioners.

Unique advantage

Entering ZZ2's avocado packaging facility in Tzaneen, a highly automated line greets visitors. Workers skillfully pack the avocados, which are then moved to cold storage unit before undergoing full cold-chain transport.

In the control room, technicians monitor screens and record the production line's operations. The screens displayed each avocado's weight, defects, and recommended classification grade.

"This equipment captures and identifies specific information about avocados, enabling automated classification," said Clive Garrett, ZZ2's marketing manager, adding that the line can process up to 30 tons of avocados per hour.

After undergoing processes such as ripeness testing, defective-fruit screening, skin cleaning, and machine sorting, avocados are classified by grade. Those with better appearance enter retail and wholesale markets, while those with surface imperfections but still edible are sent to processing plants to be made into avocado purée, avocado oil, and other products, according to Garrett.

In June, Piet Van Zyl, general manager of ZZ2, led a team to Shanghai to discuss cooperation with Chinese distributors.

"We discussed sales of South African avocados in China with the ZZ2 team and explored ways to optimize shipping times, hoping to gain experience for the next batch and better meet domestic consumer demand," said Shi Chunyu, executive deputy general manager at a Chinese avocado sales company.

In 2023, China imported about 66,000 tons of avocados, becoming Asia's largest avocado importer. Competing with avocados from production regions worldwide, how can South African avocados "stand out"?

South African avocados have advantages in both production season and variety. Due to cultivation across diverse latitudes and altitudes, the avocado season extends from February to December each year, allowing a steady supply to export markets, said Derek Donkin, CEO of the South African Subtropical Growers' Association.

In terms of variety, South African green-skinned avocados, with their thin skin, sweet flavor, and firm, fibrous texture, offer Chinese consumers a distinct taste option, according to Donkin.

In terms of transportation, fresh avocados have stringent efficiency requirements. The "green channel" introduced by China for African agricultural products exported to the country provides significant convenience for South African avocado exports, Shi said, adding that after shipments arrive at Chinese ports, customs authorities offer facilitation such as "unescorted inspections" under green-channel standards, prioritizing inspection and clearance.

From an industry perspective, South African avocado orchards generally operate on a large scale, with intensive and specialized cultivation methods, and extensive experience in post-harvest processing and cold-chain shipping, according to Garrett. Currently, the average transportation time for South African avocados to Chinese ports is 22 to 25 days. Efforts are underway to adopt more advanced cold-chain technologies and optimize shipping routes to safeguard product quality and transportation efficiency, "establishing a unique competitive advantage for South African avocados in the Chinese market," Garrett said.

Seizing opportunities

In June, at the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China stressed that it is ready to, through negotiating and signing the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development, expand the zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to all 53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China. This move has greatly bolstered the South African avocado industry's confidence in the prospects of the Chinese market.

"The South African avocado industry has identified China as one of its key emerging markets. The implementation of the zero-tariff policy will undoubtedly further enhance our export competitiveness," said Donkin. "The South African Subtropical Growers' Association is working with relevant institutions to develop avocado-themed recipes in markets such as China, aiming to help more consumers fall in love with this healthy fruit."

The Chinese market is growing rapidly and has enormous potential. As Chinese demand for avocados continues to rise, it will undoubtedly drive the vigorous development of South Africa's avocado industry, according to Donkin. "Beyond fresh avocado exports, we noticed that Southwest China's Yunnan Province is cultivating a local avocado industry. South Africa has over a century of avocado cultivation history and possesses industrial advantages. We look forward to working with Chinese partners across the entire avocado industry chain, from cultivation to processing," Donkin said.

In recent years, African specialty agricultural products, including South African avocados, have remained popular in the Chinese market, and agricultural trade has become a new highlight of China-Africa cooperation. "We hope to seize the opportunities presented by the booming economic and trade exchanges between Africa and China, continuously expand planting area and production, actively explore the Chinese market, and continuously enhance the competitiveness of South African agricultural products in the global market," said Donkin.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202508/1340603.shtml 

SOURCE Global Times