Previous Page Table of Contents Next Page


10. SOUTH AFRICA (THE REPUBLIC OF)


10.1 Overview of the economy

South Africa is a middle-income, developing country with an abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy and transport sectors, a stock exchange that ranks among the 10 largest in the world, and a modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the region. However, growth has not been strong enough to cut into the 30% unemployment, and daunting economic problems remain from the apartheid era, especially the problems of poverty and lack of economic empowerment among the disadvantaged groups. Other problems are crime, corruption and HIV/AIDS. At the start of 2000, President Mbeki vowed to promote economic growth and foreign investment by relaxing restrictive labour laws, stepping up the pace of privatization, and cutting unneeded governmental spending. His policies faced strong opposition from organized labour.

10.2 Trade policies

South Africa has substantially opened its market since 1994. Tariff rates have generally fallen and other non-tariff barriers have been reduced. As a matter of government policy, the Government of South Africa has aimed for still further market opening in order to increase trade and develop more competitive domestic industries. Most of South Africa’s tariffs are bound in eight levels, ranging from 0% to 30%, but the South African tariff schedule is complex and can create uncertainty for businesses that import goods on a regular basis.

Under the Import and Export Control Act of 1963, the Minister of Trade and Industry may limit the import of certain goods into South Africa. For those goods subject to import control measures, importers must apply for import permits prior to importation of the goods. Even though the number of products requiring such permits have been reduced in recent years, fish and fish products are still among them.

South Africa has been a member of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) since its inception in 1969. The other SACU members are Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. SACU aims to promote free trade and cooperation on customs matters among its five member states.

South Africa is also a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), together with Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. SADC was implementing a Free Trade Protocol, to establish a Free Trade Area in September 2000.

South Africa and the EU have implemented the trade provisions of their Agreement on Trade, Development and Cooperation. Under the Agreement, South Africa and the EU will establish a free trade area over a transitional period of up to 12 years for South Africa, and up to 10 years for the EU.

10.3 Fisheries data

Commodity balance (1998 preliminary)


Production

Imports

Exports

Total food supply

Per capita supply

‘000 t live weight

kg

Fish for direct human consumption

348.9

66.4

164.2

151.1

6.1

Non food uses

215.0

38.0

34.0

219.1

-

Estimated Employment:

Primary sector (including aquaculture)

27 000 (approximately)

Secondary sector (includes an estimate of artisanal, subsistence and semi-commercial fishers

100 000 (approximately)

There are an estimated additional 600 000 recreational fishers

10.4 Production

South African production of fish and fish products has fluctuated during the decade, but the later years showed a steady increase. The absolutely most important species group for South Africa is the small pelagics (herring, sardine and anchovy), with 62% of total production in 1998, followed by cod, hake and haddock (24%). With such a large share of the total production, variations in these groups will have a big impact on total production. Jack, mullet and saury, together with mackerel, were the species with the largest decline. For further details see Appendix.

Figure 47. Total seafood production by South Africa, 1990-1999 (quantity; tonnes)

10.5 Exports

In 1998, South Africa was the 36th-largest exporter of fish and fish products, when ranked by value, with exports of 128 882 t, worth US$ 244 million. Export levels varied substantially during the 1990s, with peaks in 1992 and 1994. From 1995, development has been more stable, showing a steady increase. The EU is the largest importer of fish products from South Africa, followed by Japan, China (Hong Kong SAR) and USA. The fellow southern African countries take some fish products, but are mostly suppliers in this chain of commerce.

Figure 48. Total seafood exports from South Africa, 1990-1998

10.5.1 Trading partners

South Africa increased its number of trading partners during the 1990s. The data available on trading partners do not give a good picture of the situation, as the data starts in 1993/1994. 1994 was an exceptional year, with the highest export level recorded in the 1990s. Looking only at the data from 1994 on, one would get the impression that there has been a decline in South African exports. This is of course valid if considering the years in isolation, but the comparison starts from 1990 it can be seen that there was a total increase in exports from 1990 to 1998. The reason for the irregular development could be higher catches in 1992, which led to higher exports. In 1994 there also were more imports to South Africa, some of which might have been destined for re-export, as the export figures are higher than for other years.

Figure 49. South Africa’s exports by value (US$ ‘000s) in 1995 and 1998, by destination

The decline that followed seems to have been a stabilization of the situation, as development over the next years was that of gradual increase. Changes in exports to the various countries were irregular. Comparing 1994 and 1998, the share of exports going to the EU declined as new markets emerged. In terms of value, more exports went to Asian and African countries. This was relative, primarily due to a decline in total exports from 1994 to 1998, and not caused by an absolute increase to the Asian and African countries as a whole. While exports to all countries was reduced, exports to China (Hong Kong SAR) declined severely from 1994 to 1995, when the exports of some crustaceans and cephalopods were dramatically reduced. The value of exports to China (Hong Kong SAR) maintained the same level for a while.

The liberalization of the general tariffs to the EU has made it easier to export to the EU for most countries. This is also the case for South Africa. South Africa and the EU recently signed a bilateral trade agreement.

10.6 Imports

South African imports have been small, and volumes fluctuated more than for exports. In 1995 it reached a decade peak, while dropping substantially the next year. The following years show a further decline. Most South African imports are of fishmeal, and the low level of imports in 1998 can be explained by a low global availability of fishmeal. South African imports declined through the 1990s and in 1998 total imports were a meagre 52 577 t. The biggest supplier of fish products to South Africa was the Philippines, followed by Thailand, Peru and Russia. The largest decline per product group was for fishmeal, fats and oils.

Figure 50. Seafood imports by South Africa, 1990-1998

10.7 Trade by commodity group

10.7.1 Exports

South Africa’s exports have mainly consisted of fresh and frozen fish, while the value also derives from fresh crustaceans and molluscs.

10.7.2 Imports

Most of South Africa’s imports during the 1990s was fishmeal, though quantities varied. The data from FAO Fishstat and the South African Buitlandske Handelsstatistieke show very different figures for 1998. The Fishstat data show a dramatic decline in imports. This is probably due to the El Niño effect causing a decline in global fishmeal production, leading to higher prices.

Table 12. South Africa’s seafood trade - exports and imports - on a commodity basis by value (US$), 1990-1998

Product category

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Exports by value

Marine fish fillets, frozen

10 599

16 126

23 088

19 538

28 056

36 472

38 257

45 839

62 413

Squids (Ommastrephes sagittatus, Loligo spp.), frozen

11 999

19 191

13 947

15 628

20 331

33 584

36 625

22 730

26 712

Hakes, fresh or chilled

27

177

602

1 065

5 296

8 329

16 642

21 594

26 697

Marine fish, frozen, nei

8 994

9 353

13 339

15 135

16 808

11 911

7 595

23 515

22 399

Cape hake, frozen

18 884

36 695

35 095

54 263

80 071

37 775

17 475

17 381

21 622

Rock lobsters (Jasus spp.), nei, frozen

21 902

20 190

27 421

22 438

19 820

21 672

13 033

13 791

12 540

Albacore (= Longfin tuna), frozen

4 960

4 196

17 135

13 150

15 918

10 407

8 290

10 008

9 586

Rock lobsters (Jasus spp.), nei, fresh or chilled

8 519

5 316

5 059

5 624

9 428

9 595

6 134

5 648

7 558

Fish nei, dried, unsalted

7 155

10 286

8 796

9 837

9 190

7 510

5 512

7 704

6 189

Jack and horse mackerel, frozen

3 626

691

614

2 669

2 531

2 239

5 415

7 071

5 763


Imports by value

Tunas nei, canned

14 071

17 549

13 930

18 142

16 730

16 914

18 312

22 969

20 016

Shrimps and prawns, frozen

6 634

9 951

7 083

6 284

6 111

9 193

12 324

12 973

9 909

South African pilchard, canned

9 016

666

1 167

2 874

1 698

3 853

1 251

9 466

8 052

Jack and horse mackerel, frozen

1 594

1 322

2 810

2 666

6 187

4 431

325

1 016

6 023

Cephalopods nei, frozen

1 543

2 507

2 808

2 078

4 183

5 904

4 775

9 025

3 909

Oily-fish meal, nei

59 635

76 840

60 249

27 471

70 118

77 519

52 854

61 953

3 380

Pilchards, canned

4 913

2 699

3 505

4 651

3 137

3 146

3 089

3 317

3 293

Molluscs nei, canned

2 853

1 709

1 284

1 725

1 639

2 507

2 968

1 789

2 803

Snoek, frozen

792

2 551

762

1 926

1 368

2 206

1 130

1 447

2 386

Fish preparations, nei

400

101

129

58

366

169

323

570

1 435

NOTE: nei = not elsewhere included

Figure 51. Overview of South Africa’s export trade in seafood, by commodity, 1990-1998

South Africa export commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - a

South Africa export commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - b

Export Quantity

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Crustaceans & Molluscs, fresh, chilled, etc...

6827

6836

5874

7336

12307

10388

11043

6941

9163

Crustaceans & Molluscs, Products & Preparations

115

83

136

112

1633

66

161

78

68

Fish Products and Preparation

4232

13243

8695

9750

11221

6019

7846

4481

5257

Fish, dried, salted or smoked

4970

6138

5166

5690

5065

3744

2709

3744

3357

Fish, fresh, chilled or frozen

41557

43120

125338

93775

143600

71092

59486

74853

101970

Meals, Solubles, etc...

2626

4253

4776

5432

4045

4288

3822

6828

6797

Oils and Fats

35

197

583

576

122

316

353

275

2270

Export value

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Crustaceans & Molluscs, fresh, chilled, etc...

48672

48686

53706

52412

58885

76330

70689

60081

61511

Crustaceans & Molluscs, Products & Preparations

3763

4633

7222

5106

4720

1771

6390

3118

2198

Fish Products and Preparation

4643

15081

11237

12764

16838

9378

10996

7465

7742

Fish, dried, salted or smoked

7957

11745

11245

12015

11538

10402

7376

9746

7475

Fish, fresh, chilled or frozen

51199

71952

95116

113816

161968

141703

104285

135817

161340

Meals, Solubles, etc...

1140

2302

2329

2495

1953

2413

1607

2628

2788

Oils and Fats

19

160

384

422

94

287

277

199

1194

Figure 52. Overview of South Africa’s import trade in seafood, by commodity, 1990-1998

South Africa import commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - a

South Africa import commodity groups 1990 - 1998 - b

Import Quantity

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Crustaceans & Molluscs, fresh, chilled, etc...

3147

4117

4430

3062

4944

7607

5919

9563

5574

Crustaceans & Molluscs, Products & Preparations

1234

787

623

762

781

1041

1190

992

902

Fish Products and Preparation

19424

11313

10155

14001

11974

14268

12095

20773

17086

Fish, dried, salted or smoked

311

321

437

432

516

550

242

365

376

Fish, fresh, chilled or frozen

29985

22932

27800

32923

41697

30690

7547

10577

20616

Meals, Solubles, etc...

133016

162921

124263

73195

191884

214673

97835

157484

7614

Oils and Fats

25123

23448

9732

16042

24121

55740

23496

13678

409

Import Value

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Crustaceans & Molluscs, fresh, chilled, etc...

9546

13966

11924

9589

11765

17319

19353

26530

16836

Crustaceans & Molluscs, Products & Preparations

4196

2770

2301

2955

2889

4016

5078

4315

3821

Fish Products and Preparation

31323

23741

21444

29622

25261

27932

29125

40343

35190

Fish, dried, salted or smoked

1722

1692

2225

1546

1772

2251

1385

1595

1701

Fish, fresh, chilled or frozen

18236

16332

13975

13370

15431

14644

9833

12510

15079

Meals, Solubles, etc...

59635

76840

60249

27471

70118

77519

52854

61953

3380

Oils and Fats

6157

6092

3325

5644

7329

11725

9195

6211

498


Previous Page Top of Page Next Page