According to Dawie de Villiers, director of the South African Rooibos Council (SARC), access to new international markets is an important milestone for the industry because sustainable growth depends on strong consumer demand.
“Access to any new market is always welcome. [Reaching] new consumers is also very welcome. Without demand, you can’t really grow the industry,” he told Farmer’s Weekly.
De Villiers said planting additional rooibos without established markets would expose producers to unnecessary risk, making strong international demand essential for future industry expansion.
His comments follow a recent SARC statement indicating that expanded market access, including the removal of tariffs on South African qualifying agricultural exports to China, is expected to create new opportunities for rooibos producers and exporters.
The council said these developments also underscore the importance of safeguarding the industry’s Geographical Indication (GI).
According to the statement, rooibos benefits from GI protection and is recognised as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) in the EU. This means only beverages made from Aspalathus linearis grown within the designated production areas of the Western and Northern Cape may legally be marketed as rooibos in jurisdictions that recognise the designation.
“I think growing demand benefits all farmers. It’s not limited to small farmers or intended to favour them. It’s the concept that a rising tide floats all boats,” De Villiers added.
Protecting the rooibos name
One of the industry’s biggest challenges is ensuring that only authentic South African rooibos is marketed under its PDO.
“The risk is always that you might have fake products,” De Villiers said.
He noted that although GI status protects the name, it cannot entirely prevent counterfeit products from entering overseas markets.
“The biggest challenge is detecting those products once they reach the market. The response then requires legal action by the industry, together with government intervention through agreements with trading partners, to stop products being passed off as rooibos,” he explained.
SARC added that while protection exists in several key export markets, equivalent recognition does not automatically extend to every country. As rooibos moves through increasingly complex international supply chains, maintaining traceability, certification, and consumer confidence is essential.
Regarding the industry’s production capacity, De Villiers said current demand has slightly exceeded supply, but he remains confident that the industry can meet future needs in the short term.
He added that ongoing research and careful production management are essential to meeting growing export demand without compromising quality.
