Western Cape exports to the United States have plunged 41% in a year, cutting the value of goods sold into the American market by nearly R7 billion as fruit juice, grapes, yachts, wine and citrus recorded steep declines.
New figures supplied to the Cape Argus by the Premier’s Office and Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism show US-bound merchandise exports fell from R16.89bn in the rolling 12 months from August 2024 to July 2025 to R10.02bn between August 2025 and July 2026.
The figures, sourced from SARS and Quantec, put the decline in export value at about R6.87bn.
Fruit juice exports recorded the biggest percentage fall, dropping 86% from R952.9m to R136.7m, while grapes fell 79% from R444.2m to R91.1m.
Yacht exports more than halved, falling 55% from R1.4bn to R627.6m. Wine exports dropped 38% from R603.1m to R371.5m, while citrus fell 17% from R2.19bn to R1.82bn.
The Premier’s Office and Department of Economic Development and Tourism said preliminary analysis suggested agricultural products and related agro-processing industries were among those hardest hit in terms of trade volumes to the US, while some niche manufacturing industries were also affected.
The Cape Argus also asked whether the decline had resulted in job losses. The province did not provide figures on jobs in its response.
On its response to the tariffs, the Premier’s Office and Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism said: “The Western Cape’s role is limited given that trade relations do not lie within the mandate of provincial government.”
“The first response involves engagement with the province’s counterparts in the US and working with national government towards a positive diplomatic solution.”
It added: “Over the last 12 months since the US have imposed certain tariffs on South Africa work has been done by the Western Cape Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development and Tourism, the Western Cape’s Trade, Investment and Tourism Promotion Agency (Wesgro) and various industry bodies to identify the most vulnerable industries and export commodities such as boat building and citrus which was used to lobby DTIC and various US based importers for support and tariff relief.”
“This was successful but only for certain commodities such as citrus.”
At the same time, exporters are increasingly selling into other markets.
While citrus exports to the US declined by 10,300 tonnes, or 8%, exports to the rest of Africa increased by 17,800 tonnes, or 40%, over the same period. Citrus exports to Asia increased by 111,000 tonnes, or 21%.
The province also reported that the value of grape exports to the rest of Africa increased by 30%, or R119m, while wine increased by 19%, or R184m, and yachts by 4%, or R5m.
It said those gains had not yet replaced the losses in the US market, although yacht exports to Europe were also showing growth.
Despite the 41% decline in exports to the US, the province said the value of Western Cape exports to all markets increased by 5.4% over the rolling period.
Liesl van der Schyff
capeargus.co.za