Reuters reports that South African exporters are preparing for higher costs after the United States announced plans to remove South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act in January 2027. The arrangement has provided duty-free access for eligible products, including wine. Stellenbosch winemaker Ken Forrester warned that losing the preferential treatment would make South African wines less competitive against those from Chile, Argentina and Europe. Although economists expect the overall economic impact to be limited, individual exporters could face pressure on margins and sales.