China’s imports from Africa surged to RMB193.8 billion (approximately US$28.61 billion) in May and June 2026, representing a 23.5% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The increase comes shortly after China expanded its zero-tariff treatment to cover all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
The policy, which came into effect on 1 May 2026, removes an important barrier facing African exporters seeking access to the enormous Chinese consumer market.
For Africa, the opportunity is particularly significant in agriculture.
From African farms to Chinese consumers
African countries have enormous agricultural potential, but producers have often struggled to convert that potential into large-scale international exports.
Tariffs, logistics costs, certification requirements, limited processing capacity and difficulties accessing international markets can make African products less competitive.
China’s new zero-tariff policy changes one part of that equation.
Products from eligible African exporters can now enter China with zero customs duties, provided they meet the applicable rules of origin, customs, sanitary and other import requirements.
South African Revenue Service guidance confirms that the new China zero-tariff scheme took effect on 1 May 2026, although some tariff lines remain subject to tariff-rate quotas and exporters must comply with rules-of-origin requirements.
This opens the door for a wide range of African agricultural products.
Among the products highlighted in reporting on the new trade regime are coffee, cashews, dried chillies, fruit and seafood, alongside other agricultural and commodity exports.
The first shipments have already demonstrated what this could mean.
On the first day of implementation, African agricultural products including South African apples, Kenyan avocados and Egyptian oranges were among the early shipments benefiting from the expanded access.
This is more than a change in customs policy. It could become a catalyst for African producers to think much bigger about the Chinese market.
Rooibos, coffee, nuts and African speciality products
One of the most exciting possibilities is the expansion of Africa’s speciality agricultural exports.
African products with distinctive characteristics—such as rooibos, coffee, cocoa, cashews, spices, herbs, fruit and seafood—could potentially find growing demand among Chinese consumers.
Rooibos is particularly interesting.
South Africa already has a globally recognised product in rooibos, but the opportunity is no longer simply to export raw agricultural produce. The larger opportunity lies in developing branded African products for international consumers.
Instead of exporting only raw rooibos, African companies could develop:
- Rooibos tea blends
- Ready-to-drink rooibos beverages
- Rooibos-based wellness products
- Herbal tea combinations
- Premium African tea brands
- Rooibos extracts and ingredients
- Gift and tourism-oriented African tea products
The zero-tariff environment could make it easier for such products to compete in the Chinese market, although exporters would still need to meet Chinese product, food-safety, labelling and market-entry requirements.
The opportunity goes beyond agriculture
The agricultural story is only one part of the emerging China-Africa trade relationship.
Africa is also a major supplier of minerals and other commodities required by China’s enormous industrial economy.
This creates a two-sided opportunity.
Africa can supply China with:
- Agriculture
- Coffee
- Cashews
- Fruit
- Chillies and spices
- Seafood
- Tea and herbal products
- Natural resources
- Copper
- Cobalt
- Bauxite
- Iron ore
- Other critical minerals
But the most important question for Africa is whether it will continue exporting primarily raw materials, or whether it will use expanding market access to build processing and manufacturing industries.
From exporting raw materials to exporting African value
Zero tariffs can make African products more competitive—but tariffs are only one part of the equation.
Africa still needs efficient ports, reliable electricity, cold-chain infrastructure, certification systems, packaging facilities, financing and modern agricultural processing.
That is where the real economic opportunity could lie.
Imagine a farmer producing fruit for export.
Instead of simply selling the fruit locally, a stronger export ecosystem could connect that farmer to:
Farmer → Aggregator → Processing facility → Packaging → Logistics → Chinese importer → Chinese consumer
The same principle applies to coffee, cashews, herbs, spices, seafood and other African products.
The objective should therefore not simply be:
“How much more can Africa export to China?”
It should be:
“How much more value can Africa create before exporting to China?”
That distinction could determine whether the new trade opportunity produces temporary export growth or contributes to long-term industrialisation.
A new market for African entrepreneurs
The development also creates opportunities beyond large corporations.
Small and medium-sized African businesses could potentially use the Chinese market to scale products that were previously limited to domestic or regional consumers.
For agricultural entrepreneurs, this could mean building export businesses around products that are uniquely African.
For example:
South Africa: Rooibos, fruit, wine, nuts and agricultural products.
Kenya: Avocados, coffee, tea and horticultural products.
Nigeria: Cocoa, cashews, sesame and agricultural commodities.
Ghana: Cocoa, cashews and other agricultural products.
Egypt: Citrus and other fruit.
East and West Africa: Coffee, spices, nuts, seafood and speciality agricultural products.
The opportunity will differ from country to country, but the common factor is access to a market of more than a billion consumers.
The numbers are already sending a signal
The 23.5% year-on-year increase in Chinese imports from Africa during May and June is significant.
It does not, however, mean that agricultural exports alone increased by 23.5%. The figure covers China’s overall imports from Africa.
Nevertheless, the timing is important: the increase occurred immediately after the expanded zero-tariff regime came into effect on 1 May.
China’s government has described the policy as creating new opportunities for African exports and industrialisation.
The early figures therefore provide an important signal that the policy could contribute to stronger Africa-China trade.
Africa must seize the opportunity
The biggest danger is that Africa could once again become primarily a supplier of raw materials while most of the processing, branding and value creation takes place elsewhere.
The new Chinese market access provides an opportunity to pursue a different model.
African countries can use the opportunity to encourage:
More farming.
More processing.
More packaging.
More African brands.
More export businesses.
More manufacturing.
More jobs.
The question is no longer whether Africa has products that China wants.
The question is whether Africa can build the infrastructure, businesses and production systems necessary to supply that demand competitively and sustainably.
China has opened a significant door.
Now Africa has to decide how big it wants to walk through it.
The Bottom Line
China’s expansion of zero-tariff treatment to 53 African countries represents one of the most significant developments in Africa-China trade in 2026. With imports from Africa reaching US$28.61 billion in just May and June, the early numbers suggest that commercial opportunities are already emerging.
For African agriculture, the opportunity is especially compelling.
From rooibos and coffee to cashews, fruit, spices and seafood, African producers now have a major opportunity to compete for a larger share of the Chinese market.
But the real prize is bigger than exporting more commodities.
It is about building an Africa that grows, processes, brands and exports its own products—and captures more of the value along the way.