An American trade delegation, comprising businesspeople from more than 30 American companies and State government leaders, is in South Africa seeking to expand agricultural export opportunities in the region.

The trade delegation, which arrived in South Africa on Monday and will conclude its visit on Friday, is being led by US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney. 

The mission will be based in Johannesburg and Cape Town, but participants will also have the opportunity to engage with potential customers from Angola, Botswana, eSwatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

“This trade mission is part of USDA’s continuing effort to tap into new markets for US agricultural products,” said McKinney. 

“The Southern Africa region is typically a net importer of agricultural goods, but the majority of those imports currently come from Europe, Asia and elsewhere in Africa. We are excited about the potential to grow the United States’ market share and cultivate new customers for high-quality, cost-competitive US food and farm products.”