Pretoria: South Africa will use the upcoming Essential Oils Conference to unlock new opportunities for producers across the value chain and expand its global market share. According to South African Government News Agency, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) Deputy Director-General of Sectors, Dr Tebogo Makube, stated that South Africa has a unique opportunity to transform its biodiversity into a globally competitive industry that delivers inclusive economic growth.
"South Africa's natural biodiversity is one of our greatest economic assets. By investing in quality infrastructure, innovation and internationally recognised standards, we are creating the conditions for local producers to compete successfully in premium global markets while advancing industrialisation and export-led growth," Dr Makube emphasized.
He further added that the government is committed to ensuring that more value is added locally before products enter international markets. "Our ambition is not simply to export raw natural resources, but to develop globally competitive manufacturing industries that produce high-value essential oil products. This approach strengthens industrial capability, creates employment and enables South African businesses to capture greater value from global supply chains," Makube stated.
The dtic aims to host the Essential Oils Conference in Pretoria from 23 to 24 July 2026, under the theme: "Treasures of the Past Leading to the Trophy of the Future." This conference comes amidst a growing global demand for natural ingredients, sustainable cosmetics, and plant-based wellness products, providing a platform for industry stakeholders to explore ways to strengthen South Africa's competitiveness in the rapidly expanding essential oils market.
Through a focus on quality, innovation, value addition, and export readiness, the conference aims to position South Africa's biodiversity economy to capture a greater share of international trade while supporting industrialisation, rural development, and inclusive economic growth. The event will be hosted in collaboration with the Southern African Essential Oil Producers' Association (SAEOPA), the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
The conference is part of the UNIDO-SECO Global Quality and Standards Programme (GQSP), a 42-month partnership with the dtic to strengthen South Africa's quality infrastructure, improve compliance with international standards, and enhance the competitiveness of locally produced essential and vegetable oils in global markets.
The global essential oils market, valued at over USD15 billion, continues to grow as demand increases for natural, sustainably sourced products used in various industries, including cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food, fragrance, and wellness. Although South Africa currently exports approximately USD73.5 million worth of essential oils annually, the country is poised to expand its market share through its rich biodiversity, which includes high-value indigenous oils such as buchu, Cape chamomile, rose geranium, helichrysum, marula, and baobab.
As the lead department responsible for industrial development and export competitiveness, the dtic is implementing interventions to strengthen quality infrastructure, promote value addition and beneficiation, facilitate market access, and support greater participation by small, medium, and emerging enterprises in domestic and international value chains.
"The essential oils sector has significant potential to create sustainable livelihoods, particularly for rural communities, women-owned enterprises, youth entrepreneurs, and small businesses. By bringing together producers, buyers, researchers, development partners, and policymakers, this conference will strengthen collaboration, improve export readiness, and position South Africa as a trusted supplier of premium, sustainably produced essential and vegetable oils," Dr Makube highlighted.
The conference will convene producers, exporters, manufacturers, researchers, laboratories, certification bodies, government institutions, international buyers, and investors to discuss market diversification, responsible agriculture, quality assurance, sustainability, innovation, and emerging export opportunities. This initiative reflects the dtic's ongoing commitment to developing globally competitive industries that harness South Africa's natural endowments to drive industrialisation, increase exports, create decent employment, and foster inclusive economic growth.