Covid-19 puts brakes on a pear-export deal 17 years in the making

  • 📰 staronline
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 42 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Qulity Score:
  • News: 20%
  • Publisher: 75%

BEIJING/CAPE TOWN: After 17 years of trying, South African pear farmers were finally on the brink of a deal to ship their fruit to the world’s biggest buyer. The Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak means they’ll have to keep on waiting.

Malaysia Headlines News

Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines

South African officials were scheduled to sign a pear-export agreement in China next month, but the plans were put on hold because of the virus, according to Jacques du Preez, general manager for trade and markets at Hortgro, a local industry group. No new date has been set, he said.

China accounts for about two-thirds of global pear consumption, making it a vital export market for fruit growers. South Africa is the Southern Hemisphere’s second-largest producer, after Argentina, and first applied to ship apples and pears to China in 2003. South African apples got access to the Chinese market five years ago, but pear farmers were stuck waiting for a deal. In the meanwhile, the country’s top market, Europe, has grown increasingly saturated, said Du Preez.

"It feels like we’re being tackled at the finish line,” Du Preez said."But there is willingness and commitment from officials in both countries so we just have to get over that line.” A spokesperson for South Africa’s Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. - Bloomberg

We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 4. in MY
 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Two new Covid-19 cases in S'pore, total stands at 77CORONAVIRUS | One is a year old baby evacuated from Wuhan, the other is a 35-year-old with no travel history to China.
Source: malaysiakini - 🏆 20. / 51 Read more »

First Malaysian Covid-19 patient recovers, gets dischargedKUALA LUMPUR: The first Malaysian Covid-19 patient was allowed to return home today, having fully recovered from the infection, according to Health Mi...
Source: theSundaily - 🏆 25. / 51 Read more »

Stimulus package to mitigate Covid-19 impact, assist industries: LimCYBERJAYA: The upcoming stimulus package, which would be announced next week, would serve to mitigate the economic impact of Covid-19 and help industr...
Source: theSundaily - 🏆 25. / 51 Read more »

Fast-food companies in China step up ‘contactless’ pickup, delivery as Covid-19 rages | Malay MailNEW YORK, Feb 17 — With the coronavirus outbreak in China continuing to spread, McDonald's Corp, Starbucks Corp and other fast-food companies are ramping up “contactless” pickup and delivery services to keep their workers and customers safe, the companies said. McDonald's has implemented...
Source: malaymail - 🏆 1. / 86 Read more »

Beijing autoshow postponed due to Covid-19 | Malay MailBEIJING, Feb 17 — Organisers of China’s biggest car show announced today the event was the latest to be postponed due to the outbreak of the deadly Covid-19. More than 70,000 people have been infected by the epidemic, which started in central Hubei province and has spread across China. The...
Source: malaymail - 🏆 1. / 86 Read more »

Philippine banana group says Covid-19 dampens exports to China | Malay MailMANILA, Feb 17 — Work stoppages and market closures in China stemming from a Covid-19 epidemic are hurting small- and medium-sized banana growers in the Philippines, the world’s second largest exporter of the fruit, an industry group said today. Mainland China is one of the South-east Asian...
Source: malaymail - 🏆 1. / 86 Read more »