AgriSA and Agbiz Call for Stronger Agricultural Trade Across BRICS
AgriSA and Agbiz Call for Stronger Agricultural Trade Across BRICS. AgriSA and Agbiz are calling for practical measures to deepen agricultural trade among BRICS countries, with a focus on lower tariffs, stronger sanitary and phytosanitary cooperation and more efficient trade facilitation.
The organisations participated in meetings of the BRICS Business Council Agribusiness Working Group alongside the BRICS Summit in New Delhi, where members considered measures aimed at addressing agricultural productivity gaps, promoting sustainable and climate-smart farming, sharing scientific and seed-development knowledge, and strengthening agricultural trade to support food security.
For South African agribusinesses, AgriSA and Agbiz say deeper trade within BRICS could expand market opportunities and strengthen agricultural value chains amid rising geopolitical tensions, conflict and import tariffs.
The organisations noted that trade barriers remain a constraint. While a comprehensive agricultural free trade agreement may not yet be practical for all BRICS members, they said opportunities exist to reduce existing barriers and facilitate greater trade in the interim.
Wandile Sihlobo, chairperson of the BRICS Business Council Agribusiness Working Group, said BRICS countries import more than US$300 billion in agricultural products annually, with China and India accounting for the largest share. The Middle East also represents a sizeable portion of agricultural imports from the global market.
Key products imported by BRICS countries include grains and oilseeds, fruits, wine, beef, pork and poultry products.
AgriSA and Agbiz said higher tariffs and complex or unnecessarily restrictive sanitary and phytosanitary requirements continue to limit agricultural trade within the grouping. They also highlighted differences in trading terms between BRICS members and external markets.
Their proposed approach includes improving transparency and coordination across priority commodities and trade corridors, exploring progressive tariff reductions, strengthening regulatory cooperation and considering pilot mutual recognition arrangements to reduce duplication and delays.
The organisations said their priority remains expanding agricultural market opportunities, strengthening commercial relationships and creating conditions that allow farmers and agribusinesses to trade more effectively through improved market access, regulatory predictability and efficient trade facilitation.
