Agriculture and business in SA is important to the Americans - Agri SA chief after US visit

Stephen Grootes talks to Johann Kotzé, CEO of Agri SA, on The Money Show.

As the world waits to see what new tariffs Donald Trump is set to unleash with his 'Liberation Day' announcement, Stephen Grootes gets a report-back from a local business figure who recently returned from meeting with a range of US officials.

Agri SA CEO Johann Kotzé was among a group of South African business and labour leaders who went to Washington D.C. to gauge how the changing trade relations between the two countries are viewed. 

In the light of the 'big commercial interests' they have here, there was a keenness to have this conversation with the South Africans.

Washington's souring view of Pretoria and how the politics is playing out in US media was not at issue, Kotzé says - it was all about bilateral trade.

"There was not that much focus on the expropriation without compensation (EWC) concept or on security in SA; there was really a keen interest in trade."

Johann Kotzé , CEO - Agri SA

The US officials were clear that there's going to be a reset in trade all over, Kotzé goes on, so it's not a question just of our trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) being in jeopardy.

There was even talk of the same kind of concept as AGOA, just differently structured.

"I think what was essential for us was to understand that agriculture and business in South Africa is important to the Americans, that they want to have a business relationship with us."

Johann Kotzé, CEO - Agri SA

When it comes to any resistance to Trump's trade policies from within the US, this could happen when it hits people's pockets, Kotzé says.

"They speak in terms of an economic concept, so they would say 'if our market is going to fall down to 20% there's going to be a pushback', but before that they'll still give it a chance... but if the outcome is going to be a downturn in the economy, they'll oppose it."

Johann Kotzé, CEO - Agri SA

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation