Citrus fruit exports from South Africa: data, top buyers and prices
In 2024, South Africa exported citrus fruit worth $2.14 billion (2.73 million tonnes). It ranks 2nd of 173 countries for exports of this product. That is 5% less than in 2023. Across 2017-2024 the long-run trend was broadly stable.
Public statistics, latest complete year (2024). Values in US dollars. Page updated .
Exports by year, 2017-2024
Hover or tap a year for detail.
Year by year
| Year | Value | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2.14B | 2.73M t |
| 2023 | $2.25B | 2.82M t |
| 2022 | $2.02B | 2.74M t |
| 2021 | $2.11B | 2.70M t |
| 2020 | $1.97B | 2.44M t |
| 2019 | $1.60B | 2.16M t |
| 2018 | $1.77B | 2.27M t |
| 2017 | $1.61B | 2.03M t |
Where South Africa exports citrus fruit to
Most of it went to Netherlands (20%), United Kingdom (8%), United Arab Emirates (8%). Trade is spread widely: the top three buyer markets together make up only 35%.
| Destination | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Netherlands | $424.3M | 20% |
| United Kingdom | $172.2M | 8% |
| United Arab Emirates | $163.8M | 7.6% |
| Russia | $149.7M | 7% |
| United States | $106.3M | 5% |
| Canada | $105.2M | 4.9% |
| China | $90.3M | 4.2% |
| Portugal | $90.1M | 4.2% |
| Italy | $74.8M | 3.5% |
| Saudi Arabia | $68.8M | 3.2% |
Product types under HS 0805
| 0805.10 | Fruit, edible: oranges, fresh or dried | 40% |
| 0805.21 | Fruit, edible: mandarins (including tangerines and satsumas), fresh or dried | 28% |
| 0805.50 | Fruit, edible: lemons (Citrus limon, Citrus limonum), limes (Citrus aurantifolia , Citrus latifolia), fresh or dried | 19% |
| 0805.40 | Fruit, edible: grapefruit, including pomelos, fresh or dried | 6.8% |
| 0805.22 | Fruit, edible: clementines, fresh or dried | 3.4% |
| 0805.29 | Fruit, edible: tangelos, wilkings and similar citrus hybrid, fresh or dried | 1.6% |
| 0805.90 | Fruit, edible: citrus fruit n.e.c. in heading no. 0805, fresh or dried | 0.4% |
Codes and full descriptions: HS heading 0805.
Average export price per kg
The average declared value was about $0.79 per kg, close to the world average of $0.98.
Declared value divided by weight, all 2024 shipments. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
Citrus fruit imports to South Africa
In 2024, South Africa imported citrus fruit worth $11.0 million (26.3 thousand tonnes). Most of the value came from Morocco (27%), Zimbabwe (24%), Eswatini (18%). Among the main suppliers, Eswatini grew fastest (+56% on the year before).
| Supplier country | Value | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Morocco | $3.0M | 27% |
| Zimbabwe | $2.7M | 24% |
| Eswatini | $2.0M | 18% |
| Spain | $1.8M | 16% |
| United Kingdom | $789K | 7.2% |
| Egypt | $357K | 3.2% |
| Turkey | $191K | 1.7% |
| Greece | $96K | 0.9% |
| Italy | $57K | 0.5% |
| Brazil | $44K | 0.4% |
Who is behind these numbers in South Africa?
Public statistics stop at country totals and the last published year. EximDataX shows the shipment records underneath: the companies, dates, quantities and declared values, updated weekly.
Shipment records are in the platform
Tell us what you trade and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
Mirror data: built from the shipment records of the countries that trade with it.
Updated weekly on EximDataX (some markets daily), while public statistics stop at 2024.
Source: CEPII BACI (reconciled UN Comtrade data), HS 2017 edition, release 202601, Etalab Open Licence 2.0. Annual values in US dollars at the customs border; quantities in tonnes where reported. HS 0805: Citrus fruit; fresh or dried.
Common questions
What is the value of citrus fruit exported by South Africa?
South Africa exported citrus fruit worth $2.14 billion in 2024, the latest year with complete public data, about 2.73 million tonnes. That ranks it 2nd of 173 countries worldwide, with 13% of world exports. The value was down 5% on 2023.
Which countries buy citrus fruit from South Africa?
The Netherlands was the largest buyer with 20% of the value ($424.3 million), followed by the United Kingdom (8%) and the United Arab Emirates (8%). The top three together account for 35%, out of 126 buyer countries in total.
What is the average export price of citrus fruit per kg?
The average declared export value was about $0.79 per kg in 2024, 19% below the world average of $0.98 per kg. It is total declared value divided by total weight, so it blends every grade and size; use it as a benchmark, not a quote. Prices per shipment and per company are in EximDataX.
How have exports of citrus fruit from South Africa changed since 2017?
Exports went from $1.61 billion in 2017 to $2.14 billion in 2024, an increase of 33%. The peak was 2023 at $2.25 billion. Monthly and weekly movements since then are in EximDataX.
Does South Africa also import citrus fruit?
Yes. South Africa imported $11.0 million worth of this product in 2024, mainly from Morocco, Zimbabwe and Eswatini. On balance South Africa is a net exporter of this product, by about $2.13 billion a year.
What is the HS code for citrus fruit?
The HS code for citrus fruit is heading 0805. In South Africa the largest six-digit codes were 0805.10 (40% of the value) and 0805.21 (28%). It sits in HS chapter 08 (fruit and nuts, edible; peel of citrus fruit or melons). The full list of codes and descriptions is on the HS 0805 page.
How can I find the companies behind this trade?
Public statistics stop at country totals. EximDataX rebuilds South Africa trade from the customs records of its trading partners, updated weekly, so you can see the companies that ship to and from it. Tell us your product and we will show you the latest records on a live call.
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