Determinants of Competitiveness in the South African Citrus Fruit Industry

Abstract

This paper analyses the determinants of competitiveness in the South African citrus fruit industry. It uses Michael Porter's competitive diamond framework to determine and analyse the factors influencing the performance and competitive success of the domestic citrus fruit industry. A structured questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative data of expert views and opinions from several key industry stakeholders. The paper identified the availability of skilled employees, quality of unskilled labour, cost of doing business in the industry, services from financial institution, electricity supply, land reform and some other government policies such as trade policy, labour policy, BEE policy and tax system as the major determinants impeding the competitive success of the domestic industry. The list also included the current climatic conditions, high incidences of HIV/AIDS and crime, economic stability and the cost of technology and infrastructure in the industry. Despite the challenges mentioned above, the quality of skilled labour, general level of development and quality of infrastructure and technology in the industry, quality of soils, the availability of scientific research institutions and the collaboration of the industry with these institutions, availability and quality of local suppliers of primary inputs, and market information flow were found to have a positive influence on the competitive success of the industry.