Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Bruce Sherr, commodities research expert, asked the question: "What are the three things that drive global agriculture today?" "China, China, China", he quoted in answering his own question. China has 1,2 billion people with tremendous purchasing power and has maintained an economical growth rate of more than 8% over the past five years. All indications are that this growth rate will be sustained in the immediate future. This naturally makes China an export market worth considering. The South African citrus industry underwent material changes during 1997, which lead to the deregulation of a single marketing structure from the 1st of January 1998 that previously forced citrus producers to deliver all their citrus for export to Outspan, now Capespan. This caught the majority of citrus producers off-guard, as they suddenly had to decide among numerous agents/buyers who joined the industry as role players. A few of the smaller citrus producers even embarked on the direct marketing of their citrus to cut out the "middle man" in an attempt to save costs and negotiate higher prices, with mixed results. It is generally believed that better prices can be achieved by embarking on a direct marketing strategy, but is the process really that simple? This study will investigate the possible exportation of citrus to the People's Republic of China (PRC) by analysing the Chinese market as citrus exports to China has yielded acceptable returns in the past and is certainly an export market to consider. The analysis of the Chinese market will be followed by the broad design of an export marketing plan for citrus to the PRC using a medium sized citrus export company as an example. In conclusion and as a summary certain important issues impacting specifically on the export of South African citrus to the PRC will be addressed and the findings on the viability of implementing an export strategy for citrus to the PRC recommended. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Bruce Sherr, 'n kenner op die gebied van navorsing van kommoditeite het eendag die vraag gevra: "Watter drie dinge dryf die wêreldlandbou deesdae?" "China, China, China" het hy self sy vraag geantwoord. China beskik oor 1,2 biljoen inwoners met 'n ongelooflike koopkrag en handhaaf 'n ekonomiese groeikoers van meer as 8% per jaar oor die laaste 5 jaar. Alle aanduidings is dat hierdie groeikoers volhou sal word vir die afsienbare toekoms. Hierdie feite maak van China 'n vanselfsprekende mark om te oorweeg vir die uitvoer van produkte. Die Suid-Afrikaanse sitrusbedryf het geweldige veranderings ondervind gedurende 1997, wat gelei het tot die afskaffing van 'n een-kanaalbemarkingstruktuur vir sitrus vanaf 1 Januarie 1998, wat voorheen sitrusprodusente verplig het om alle sitrus vir die uitvoermark aan Outspan, nou Capespan, te lewer. Hierdie wysiging het die meeste sitrusprodusente onkant gevang wat skielik 'n keuse moes maak tussen die menigte agente/kopers wat tot die Suid-Afrikaanse sitrusbedryf toegetree het. Sommige van die kleiner sitrusprodusente het selfs hul hand aan direkte bemarking gewaag in 'n poging om die "middelman" uit te skakel in 'n poging om koste te bespaar en hoër pryse te beding, met gemengde welslae. Daar word algemeen geglo dat hoër pryse behaal sal kan word deur 'n direkte bemarkingstrategie te volg, maar is die proses werklik so eenvoudig? Hierdie studie sal die moontlike uitvoer van sitrus na die Peoples Republic of China (PRC) ondersoek deur die Chinese mark te analiseer, aangesien sitrusuitvoere na China in die verlede 'n aanvaarbare opbrengs gelewer het, wat dit sekerlik 'n uitvoermark maak om te oorweeg. Die analise van die Chinese mark sal opgevolg word deur die breë ontwerp van 'n uitvoerbemarkingsplan vir sitrus na die PRC deur 'n mediumgrootte sitrusuitvoermaatskappy te neem as voorbeeld. Ter afsluiting en opsomming sal sekere belangrike aspekte wat 'n invloed kan uitoefen op die uitvoer van Suid-Afrikaanse sitrus na die PRC aangespreek word en sal daar 'n finale bevinding gemaak word oor die lewensvatbaarheid van die implimentering van 'n uitvoerbemarkingstrategie vir sitrus na die PRC.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2000. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The implementation of the Marketing of Agricultural Products Act of 1996 resulted in the deregulation of the South African fruit industry in October 1997. This led to independent decision-making regarding the marketing of export products by a host of deciduous fruit producers and exporters. No longer were the producers controlled by a monopoly. The deregulation challenged the inflexible single-channel fruit pooling marketing structure of the past and exposed domestic producers and exporters to the competitive global fruit market. By implication this translated into a need to become globally competitive in the interest of growing market share. The focus of this new marketing system is to give the producer the opportunity to export high quality fruit and earn an associated premium for his products, and to strengthen his brand and reputation through these efforts. The deregulation also provided the opportunity for independent fruit growers to influence the optimisation of the value chain, in the interest of lower costs and improved customer service. The market has since changed from supply (stock "push") to demand driven (stock "pull"). It is now imperative that the various producers and exporters provide an efficient supply chain in order to satisfy the end user demands. A consequence of this would be the increase in deciduous fruit quality as a determinant of decidU<;ms fruit demand. Market research was conducted to determine the impact that deregulation has had on South Africa's deciduous fruit industry and to establish the degree to which Portnet should transform to accommodate this changing and deregulated environment. In summary, deregulation has created many opportunities for South African fruit producers and exporters in the domestic and international markets. The only impediment is whether the new logistical structures will be able to reduce costs and improve profit margins, particularly now that economies of scale have been dissipated. Customer service may improve, but at what cost? / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die implementering van die Bemarkingswet van Landbouprodukte in 1996 het gelei tot die deregulering van die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugtebedryf in Oktober 1997. Die gevolg hiervan was die onafhanklike besluitneming ten opsigte van die bemarking van uitvoerprodukte deur 'n groep sagtevrugteprodusente en -uitvoerders. Die produsente is nie langer deur 'n monopolie beheer nie. Die deregulering het die onbuigbare een-kanaal vrugtebemarkingstruktuur van die verlede opsy geskuif en binnelandse produsente en uitvoerders die geleentheid gebied om deel te word van die kompeterende intemasionale vrugtemark. Dit het by implikasie aanleiding gegee tot 'n behoefte om intemasionaal mededingend te wees in die belang van 'n groeiende markaandeel. Die fokus van hierdie nuwe bemarkingstelsel is om die produsent die geleentheid te gee om hoe kwaliteit vrugte uit te voer en die meegaande hoe premie vir sy produkte te verdien, asook om sy handelsmerk en reputasie sodoende te vestig. Die deregulasie het ook die onafhanklike vrugteprodusente die geleentheid gegee om seggenskap in die optimisering van die waardeketting te kry wat tot laer koste en verbeterde klientediens gelei het. Sedertdien het die mark verander vanaf 'n aanbodmark na 'n vraaggedrewe mark. Dit is nou uiters belangrik dat die verskillende produsente en uitvoerders 'n effektiewe voorsieningsnetwerk skep om in die eindverbruikers se behoeftes te voorsien. Die gevolg sou 'n toename in die gehalte van sagtevrugte wees, wat weer belangrike determinant van die sagtevrugte vraag is. Marknavorsing is gedoen om die impak van die deregulasie op die Suid-Afrikaanse sagtevrugtebedryfvas te stel. Wat ook vasgestel moes word, was die mate waartoe Portnet moet transformeer om in die veranderde en gedereguleerde omgewing te funksioneer. Om op te som, deregulering het verskeie geleenthede vir Suid-Afrika se vrugteprodusente en uitvoerders in die binnelandse en intemasionale markte geskep. Die enigste vraag is of die nuwe logistieke strukture wel koste sal verminder en winsmarges sal verhoog, veral noudat skaalvoordele nie meer van toepassing is nie. Klientediens sal verbeter, maar teen watter koste?

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this study is to define export performance and to identify factors which influence or improve export performance. There is a considerable lack of coherence among scholars on what export performance is; from whose viewpoint to measure it, namely the government, the company, the product or the specific market exported to and the time frame. A variety of factors was found to influence export performance positively and these are tested on a Cape Town based pumpkin exporter. It was concluded that net profit is the only consistently valid measure of export performance .. To achieve success in exports require the expertise of overseas distributors and agents as well as a world-oriented approach where delivery and services is important. When exporting a perishable agricultural product it is important to compete on superior quality and to concentrate on a few major markets. Success in any export venture depends primarily on top-management commitment, management being prepared to endure setbacks in order to become successful and channelling its attitude towards risk-taking into positively influencing export performarice. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om uitvoerprestasie te meet en die faktore wat uitvoerprestasie bepaal, te identifiseer. Daar is teenstrydigheid tussen navorsers oor presies wat uitvoerprestasie is, asook die uitgangspunt vanwaar dit gemeet word, naamlik die regering, die maatskappy, die produk, die spesifieke mark waarheen uitgevoer word en die tydraam. 'n Verskeidenheid faktore is geïdentifiseer wat uitvoerprestasie positief beïnvloed en dit word getoets op 'n Kaapstadse pampoenuitvoerder. Daar is gevind dat nettowins die enigste betroubare en geldige maatstaf is om uitvoerprestasie te meet. Die gebruik van oorsese verspreiders en agente, asook 'n wêreld-georiënteerde benadering van lewering en diens is belangrik vir suksesvolle uitvoere. Wanneer 'n bederfbare landbouproduk uitgevoer word, is dit belangrik om mee te ding op grond van voortreflike diens en deur te konsentreer op 'n paar hoofmarkte. Sukses in enige uitvoerprojek hang hoofsaaklik af van die toewyding van topbestuur, of bestuur bereid is om terugslae te verduur ten einde suksesvol te raak en deurdat bestuur sy benadering jeens risiko in die regte rigting kanaliseer ten einde uitvoere positief te beïnvloed.

Thesis (MA. Agricultural Management (Agricultural Economics)) -- University of Limpopo, 2014 / The role of agricultural exports to agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in South Africa is of extreme importance and exhibits strong interest from all parts of the economy. Many believe that agriculture can salvage the declining economic growth under such global economic conditions. The decision to diversify and expand exports of these avocados, apples, mangoes and oranges will improve the South African economy’s unstable conditions. This study accounts for all the factors that are truly unique to South African’s economy. Therefore, the study will help to shift the focus of avocado, apple, mango and orange growers to export more due to the international market demand for such produce. The aim of the study was to analyse the link between avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa. The specific objectives are to determine the correlation between avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and the agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa, investigate the contribution of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and the agriculture’s share of Gross Domestic Product in South Africa, determine the growth rate (trends) of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports and determine the volatility of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports. The study used secondary time series data that covered a sample size of 17 years (1994 - 2011) of avocado, apple, mango and orange exports in South Africa. Two Stages Least Square models and Growth rate and Volatility models were used for data analysis. i Empirical results for agricultural exports equation revealed that agricultural economic growth in South Africa was significant with a positive coefficient. While a negative relationship between the Net Factor Income (NFI) and the agricultural exports in South Africa was noticed. Real Capital Investments had a significant positive coefficient. Consequently, results from agricultural economic growth equation revealed that agricultural exports were significant with a positive correlation. A relationship between NFI and agricultural GDP was also witnessed. Like other variables, Real Capital Investment was significant but negatively correlated. The results of growth rate and volatility models showed positive trends. Furthermore, results showed that the quantity of agricultural exports was positively related to agricultural economic growth. Another point of interest was that while these exports were positive and significantly related, the magnitude of its coefficient is smaller than the coefficients of Real Capital Investments. It is in this framework that the positive correlation exists between agriculture economic growth and agricultural exports. It is recommended that investment opportunities in the agricultural sector need to be investigated further because there is limited knowledge of the subject. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery and the private sector need to join hands and build a mutual relationship to aid develop an agricultural economy which can be able to exports more than what it imports. This can also be done by subsidising farmers with capital to relieve them of other expenses.

From the abstract: Fairy tales aside this study is an analysis of Port Elizabeth harbour development during its first half century from 1820-70. Despite the fact that Port Elizabeth quickly came to dominate Cape trade very little was actually done to improve its port facilities. Superficially the impression one gains from the available material is that everything was done by government not to develop a harbour at Algoa Bay. But the real question is: was harbour development really necessary at Port Elizabeth during the period under consideration? The answer must be no. The lack of facilities certainly did not hinder the massive expansion of wool exports that took place before 1870.

Thesis (MComm (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Tulips are the second largest floral commodity that is traded globally. Currently Holland controls half of the 20 billion Dollar tulip bulb market, although immense pressure from European institutions may serve to change this phenomenon in the near future. Not only do increasing labour costs and stricter legislation on the usage of pesticides impair this industry, but the Dutch government also places huge pressure on its own producers to convert scarce agricultural land into residential areas. These conditions could therefore provide a possible market opportunity for farmers from other countries. Due too the fact that the price of tulip bulbs is based on the size of the flower and the length of the floral stem, floral farmers generally gain an extra 2-3 cm stem length via physically cutting it out of the tulip bulb. Therefore, floral farmers annually destroy their whole supply of tulip bulbs, resulting in a need to reacquire bulbs from bulb growers. Due to the fact that the lifespan of cut tulip flowers is generally not more than seven days, Dutch land rezoning ought to result in tulip bulb production being the production component which could truly be relocated in a global context. In this study, an economic analysis is therefore conducted to ascertain South Africa’s potential to produce tulip bulbs in order to supply the growing demand in the Netherlands. Information was gathered by performing a literature study of existing literature and by conducting structured interviews with numerous experts in their various fields of operation. Due to the fact that expertise in South Africa was very limited, a large number of interviews were scheduled with experts from Holland and Germany. The presence of strict non-disclosure contracts resulted in a situation where interviews had to be conducted with individuals who are two to three levels removed from any relevant tulip organisation. The study was conducted through first analysing the global market from a horticultural perspective and thereafter from an economic-logistical stance. It was established that tulip bulbs are very temperature sensitive and therefore have to be produced far from any tropical zones. Since Sutherland’s winter temperature is similar to that of Dutch production areas, South African tulip bulbs could be planted in Holland. The difference in seasons of production allows farmers from the Southern Hemisphere to predict the extremely fashion sensitive market in one year less. Via moving production activities between alternative hemispheres, off seasons can be utilized for production, which could result in fashions being predicted with a greater sense of accuracy. If unfashionable bulbs are produced, a loss of up to R 34 129,87 per ha can be incurred, while mid-priced bulbs and fashionable bulbs can earn respectively R80 118,09 and R 122 626,57 per ha. Projections are however based on the prices of a bear phase where the market currently pays up to 75% less for bulbs than it did three years ago. The production costs in Sutherland could be cut by R 15 750 if it is decided to mechanise production but simultaneously this action will result in an increase of R120 000 in new capital equipment required. The use of 40 feet High Cube Reefers reduces transportation costs considerably and 1 042 437 bulbs with a circumference of between 10 and 12 cm can be shipped in such an container via utilizing South African produced SN 64190 crates and four way export pallets. Market penetration remains an important consideration since a farmer’s production history is very important in the international market environment. Partnerships, production of larger bulbs, organic production and seasonal production in alternating hemispheres, remain some of the most suitable techniques for market penetration.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / In recent years South Africa has started to embark on policies to increase FDI and boost the country’s manufacturing sector. FDI inflows are important for their perceived role of bridging the savings-investment gap, while increasing the country’s manufacturing capacity will help diversify the economy and could contribute towards job creation. The literature has revealed that the debate on causality between FDI and trade has not yet been resolved. Furthermore, the FDI/trade relationship has not been adequately addressed in African literature. The research study has investigated the causal link between FDI and manufacturing exports and FDI and manufacturing imports in South Africa for the period 1994 – 2011. Unit root tests of stationarity were performed on the respective time series and it was found that the included variables are non-stationary at their levels, but stationary at first differences. Tests of cointegration revealed that FDI and manufacturing exports as well as FDI and manufacturing imports and vice versa were cointegrated, implying a long-run relationship between the two sets of variables. The study then utilised causality tests based on the significance of the ECM coefficient as well simple Granger causality tests in a bivariate setting. The results indicate one-way causality from manufacturing exports to FDI and from manufacturing imports to FDI. These results suggest that exports and imports of the manufacturing sector matter in the locational inflows of FDI in South Africa. It is recommended that the South African government should encourage FDI policies that have an export component or export strategy. This could attract more FDI inflows that would close the investment gap in the manufacturing sector.

Thesis (MSc (Applied Mathematics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The process of modelling the fruit export infrastructure capacity of South Africa formed part of a larger project called the \Fruit Logistics Infrastructure Capacity Optimisation Study," which was coordinated by the Transportek division of the CSIR in Stellenbosch during the period August 2002 to March 2004. The aim of this project was to create efficiencies for, and enhance the competitiveness of, the South African fruit industry by improved usage of, and investment in, shared logistics infrastructure. After putting the size of the fruit industry into perspective, numerous aspects of the export process are considered in this thesis so as to be able to perform a comprehensive cost analysis of the export of fruit, including the cost of handling, cooling and transportation. The capacities of packhouses, cold stores and terminals are found and presented. This information, combined with fruit export volumes of 2003, then allow an estimation of the current utilisation of the South African ports with respect to fruit export.

China’s economy has been experiencing high growth since 1979. The growth of China’s economy is attributed to the growth in its international trade. China’s economic growth affects trade growth of other nations because of the combination of its huge size, rapid growth and openness. This study investigates the direct effect of China’s growth on its imports from South Africa. / Economics / M. Com. (Economics)

It is commonly believed about sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) that the region has a comparative advantage in primary resources as reflected by its high share of primary exports to total exports. In acknowledging the region's comparative advantage, the study tries to put the determinants from the Wood and Mayer (1998, (999) (W-M) Heckscher-Ohlin based model in the context of two relatively diversified countries (South Africa and Mauritius) and two commodity-export-dependent countries of sub-Saharan Africa (Nigeria and Cô̌̌te d'Ivoire). The study finds that the skill and land resource measures used in the W -M (1998, 1999) thesis do not explain why Nigeria, having a similar level of skill per worker ratio to South Africa, has not diversified. Further, Mauritius having relatively the highest skill per land ratio specialises in low-skill textiles and clothing, while South Africa specialises in the more human capital-intensive "other manufactures" group. The other measure, a low land per worker ratio that explains Mauritius' relatively higher share of manufacturing exports, also fails to apply to Nigeria. The thesis thus concludes that the W-M land and skill measures could only be rough proxies in determining comparative advantage in manufacturing exports. However, employing the Dutch disease hypothesis recognises the potential of land abundance as a natural resource, namely minerals in South Africa, oil in Nigeria, and cocoa in Cǒ̌te d'Ivoire. The Dutch disease is a dynamic process of structural economic and political development that will permit an understanding of why natural resource abundant countries do not have a comparative advantage in manufacturing, at least in the short to medium term. The study therefore investigates commodity dependence and the Dutch disease effects to examine whether primary resource- based industrialisation offers an escape from underdevelopment. It establishes that South Africa, a mineral resource rich country, diversified based on a broad mineral-energy-complex (MEC) reinforcing the notion that land abundant countries will first invest in capital- intensive primary resource processing. However, the thesis concludes that in Nigeria and Cǒ̌te d'Ivoire where external shocks are more predominant probably because of single commodity export reliance, the manufacturing sector lags behind more due to resource and spending effects that a natural resource boom generates in these economies.