South Africa is stepping up efforts to expand agricultural exports to the Middle East as it seeks new markets for its farmers and strengthen trade ties with Gulf countries.

A delegation from the Department of Agriculture travelled to Saudi Arabia, Oman and the United Arab Emirates from September 27 to explore market-access opportunities, deepen agricultural cooperation and address regulatory barriers affecting South African exports. The mission brought together government officials, diplomatic representatives and members of the South African livestock sector.

In Saudi Arabia, the delegation held discussions with the Saudi Food and Drug Authority, the Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company and the General Authority for Foreign Trade. Talks focused on trade opportunities, market requirements and the sanitary and phytosanitary conditions that South African products must meet to enter or expand their presence in the Saudi market.

In Oman, South African officials met representatives of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and the Chamber of Commerce. The discussions examined opportunities for closer agricultural and commercial cooperation. The delegation also discussed the regulatory requirements that can affect the movement of agricultural products between the two countries.

The United Arab Emirates was another key focus of the mission, particularly for the South African livestock industry. Pretoria has been working to maintain and expand access for red meat exports to the UAE, where farms and feedlots supplying animals for slaughter must comply with specific registration and veterinary requirements. The South African government has extended the deadline for completing those registrations to December 31, 2026.

The Gulf strategy comes as South Africa seeks to diversify its agricultural export destinations. The country’s agriculture department says its international trade programme is aimed at improving market access, negotiating fair trading conditions and increasing the competitiveness of South African producers and exporters. Its Middle East trade desk is specifically responsible for agricultural trade relations with countries in the region.

For South African producers, expanding access to Gulf markets will depend in part on meeting strict food safety, animal health and plant health requirements. The agriculture department advises exporters to comply with the import standards of destination countries, warning that failures to meet those requirements can disrupt export programmes.

The government is also pursuing market diversification beyond the Gulf. In 2025, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said South Africa was working on new or expanded market access for products including avocados in China, fresh produce in India and grain products in Japan, while bilateral phytosanitary arrangements were also being pursued for beef exports to the Middle East.

The latest Gulf mission therefore forms part of a broader strategy to secure export markets for South African agriculture while addressing the technical and regulatory conditions that determine whether products can reach international consumers.