Precious metals and stones are South Africa’s largest exports to the US, making up nearly half of total exports. Notably, platinum group metals – platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium, and osmium – account for 25% of exports. In the chart above, these are broken down into smaller subcategories. Vehicles make up 13% of exports, with petrol and diesel cars contributing 10%. Base metals follow at 12%, then chemicals (7%), agriculture (6%), and machinery (3%). Among agricultural exports, citrus fruits are the biggest agricultural exports to the US.
South Africa’s trade delegation is lobbying the US for more favourable terms ahead of a July deadline when a 90-day freeze on the proposed 31% tariff is set to expire. However, according to Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, some critical minerals have been exempted from these tariffs. The existing 10% tariff applies to vehicles, machinery, and agricultural products.
The data used in this chart can be downloaded from Atlas of Economic Complexity, Harvard Growth Lab.