South Africa: The United States and Southern Africa Agricultural Trade Decreases Due to COVID-19

The partial and full lockdowns implemented globally including in Southern Africa to address COVID19, severely disrupted the movement of people and agricultural trade in 2020. United States agricultural exports to Southern Africa were severely impacted by COVID-19, and decreased by 23 percent to US$483.7 million in 2020. In comparison, Southern African agricultural exports to the United States were more resilient and only decreased by 13 percent to US$883.2 million in 2020. This was due to more stringent measures that were placed on imports of liquor products by some countries, disruptions to supply chains, and decrease in demand due to low economic activities and consumer incomes as a result of COVID-19. Post expects improvements in agricultural trade in 2021, based on several countries lifting lockdown restrictions, improved management of supply chains, and increases in production of major crops following good rainfall received to date.

South Africa: The United States and Southern Africa Agricultural Trade Decreases Due to COVID-19