CNBNews

(cnbnews.net)Gerrit van der Merwe (left), chairman of the Western Cape Citrus Producers Forum (WCCPF), the consortium of South African citrus producers eligible to export citrus to the United States, discusses the importance of the South African citrus program with South Africa’s Ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, at a recent event held at the Port of Gloucester City, NJ.

The purpose of the event was to highlight the importance of South African Summer Citrus in creating jobs in both South Africa and in the greater Philadelphia area and how trade between the U.S and Africa benefits the economy on both continents.

In his remarks to local, regional and state officials and fruit industry representatives, Mr. Rasool paid tribute to the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, known as AGOA, whereby the U.S. extends trade preferences to African countries. The WCPF is certified under AGOA to export citrus to the U.S.

“This Act offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue opening up their economies and buidling free markets,” said Ambassador Rasool. “The Act has helped underpin the emergence of a new middle class of consumers in Africa – about 300 million strong and growing – who increasingly are buying American products and services.”

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