SA Rooibos Council pushes for reduction or removal of US 30% tariff
The SARC said rooibos is a uniquely South African product, grown exclusively in a small region of the Western Cape and not cultivated anywhere else in the world, including the US.
'As such, it poses no competitive threat to American agricultural production or domestic manufacturing.'
The council said more than 90% of rooibos exported to the US was shipped in bulk for blending, packaging and marketing by American companies, which supported value addition, stimulated local business activity and created jobs within the US market.
It said the full impact on the rooibos industry would become clearer over the next few months, with the US accounting for about 5% of total exports.
Though the US was an important market, the industry's exposure was somewhat cushioned by a broad and steadily expanding global customer base, the council said.
'Our priority is to support rooibos producers and exporters during this challenging period,' said SARC chairperson Dawie de Villiers.
'We are actively engaging with stakeholders and exploring all opportunities to ensure rooibos remains competitive in the US market, while also strengthening our presence in other international markets.'
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