south africa competitor report horticultural products prepared by heather page and tropical division ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ highlights african horticulture is weathering the difficult transition period toward a deregulated market deregulation resulting in cooperation research aggressive marketing __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ country overview s major industries consist of mining finance insurance food processing produces one fifth entire gross domestic product continent since end apartheid era has been investing heavily modern technology becoming much more competitive on world during mid 1990 intensified liberalization its trade regime removing disincentives to exporters raised factor efficiency as it exposed economy greater competition top trading partners are united states kingdom germany italy japan than half gdp generated way import export activity per capita usd 1999 was 3 023 although official unemployment rate posted at 23 percent some reports have suggested that current could be high 35
