Wesgro set to secure more trade for the Cape in Singapore and Malaysia

21-08-2017

This week, 21-25 August 2017, a Western Cape business delegation led by Wesgro will participate in the Department of Trade and Industry’s Outward Selling and Mission to Singapore and Malaysia.

This trade mission and others planned for these markets in the future will help further boost trade relations between the Western Cape and Southeast Asia.

The aim of the mission is to:

• Follow-up on the official visit undertaken by Western Cape Premier Helen Zille to Singapore in March 2017;

• Provide market intelligence and insight into the rapidly growing opportunities within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) market;

• Facilitate and assist Western Cape companies market and sell their products in these markets; and

• Advancing the Western Cape's halal export promotion strategy which aims to grow our share of the global halal exports.

The Western Cape’s dominant export product to Malaysia in 2015 were apples, pears and quinces. At a value of $51.12 million, this was equivalent to 50.51% of all exports receipts earned by the Western Cape from Malaysian export trade in the year. Citrus fruit, fresh or dried placed second at a value of $ 18.56 million (18.56%), followed by grapes, fresh or dried category at $10.77 million (10.65%).

The top export product from the Western Cape to Singapore in 2016 was refined petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals at a value of $14.35 million, followed by apples, pears and quinces at $13.16 million.

“Wesgro is optimally positioned to champion economic opportunities for the Cape, and to facilitate the conversion of these opportunities to help drive growth and create jobs. A business trade and investment conference, followed by several business-to-business meetings are scheduled for each country, and we look forward to the mission’s results,” concluded Wesgro CEO Tim Harris.