S Africa brainstorms methods to boosts export in India, China

Trade Min Rob Davies said a central challenge around exports was that SAfrica was exporting too few value-added products.

By PTI | Updated: Sep 14, 2011, 03.52 PM IST

CAPE TOWN: South Africa is looking at ways to boost its exports of value-added goods to Asian giants like India and China, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies has said.

In a media briefing at Parliament, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said a central challenge around exports was that South Africa was exporting too few value-added products.

He said South Africa's trade with India has been growing "very, very rapidly" and hit a combined trade of 6 billion USD in 2010, but pointed out that Indian statistics already suggest inter-country trade had passed the target set to reach 10 billion USD by 2012.

He said the final calculation of trade figures, however, depended on figures connected to the export of gold to India.

However, an understanding had been developed with China for the Asian country to assist South Africa to ramp up value-added exports and the department had given China a list of 10 value-added products that it wanted South Africa to export to China, he said.

He hoped that South African businessmen would also be able to take advantage of a trade exhibition at the China expo at end of year.

Davies also said that following the June summit between the Southern African Development Community (SADC), East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) to set up a tripartite free trade agreement, a key agreement was reached to strengthen measures in SADC itself before finalising the tripartite agreement.

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