AgriSA and Agbiz are calling for practical measures to deepen agricultural trade across Brics markets, including lower tariffs, improved sanitary and phytosanitary cooperation and more efficient trade facilitation.
Source: Nejc Parašuh via
PexelsThe organisations participated in the BRICS Business Council Agribusiness Working Group meetings alongside the Brics Summit in New Delhi, where members considered measures to address agricultural productivity gaps, promote sustainable and climate-smart farming, share scientific and seed-development knowledge, and strengthen agricultural trade as a means of supporting food security.
For South African agribusinesses, the organisations say deeper trade within Brics could help expand market opportunities and strengthen agricultural value chains amid rising geopolitical tensions, conflict and import tariffs.
Trade barriers remain a constraint
While a comprehensive agricultural free trade agreement may not yet be practical for all BRICS members, AgriSA and Agbiz say there are opportunities to reduce existing barriers and facilitate greater trade in the interim.
“The Brics countries import over US$300bn of agricultural products annually. China and India account for the lion’s share of these imports. The Middle East also has a sizeable share of agricultural imports from the world market. Key agricultural products imported by the Brics grouping include, among others, various grains and oilseeds, fruits, wine, beef, pork and poultry products,” says Wandile Sihlobo, chairperson of the Brics Business Council Agribusiness Working Group.
Higher tariffs and complex or unnecessarily restrictive sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements continue to limit agricultural trade within the grouping.
Some Brics members also have more favourable trading terms with markets outside the grouping than with fellow Brics countries, contributing to relatively limited intra-Brics agricultural trade. AgriSA and Agbiz say addressing this misalignment is becoming more important as the grouping expands.
Focus on tariffs and regulatory cooperation
South African agribusinesses and farming communities are calling for practical measures to reduce import tariffs and address non-tariff barriers among Brics members.
The proposed approach includes:
• Tariffs and market access: Improving transparency and coordination across priority commodities and trade corridors, while exploring opportunities to progressively lower tariff barriers.
• SPS alignment and trade facilitation: Strengthening regulatory cooperation and exploring pilot mutual recognition arrangements to reduce unnecessary duplication and delays.
Expanding agricultural market opportunities
AgriSA and Agbiz remain committed to deepening agricultural trade, expanding market opportunities and strengthening commercial relationships across BRICS markets.
From a business perspective, they say the priority is to create conditions that enable farmers and agribusinesses to trade more effectively through improved market access, fewer unnecessary trade barriers, greater regulatory predictability and more efficient trade facilitation.
In an increasingly complex global trading environment, stronger agricultural trade relationships could contribute to more resilient value chains, diversified markets and greater food security across Brics economies.
