Rooibos, which is commonly drunk as a tea, infused in drinks and used in beauty products, dates back hundreds of years to the Cederberg region where it grows naturally and has become more popular over the years.
Grown on 70,000 hectares of land, the industry produces around 15,000 tonnes of rooibos annually, with half of that exported to countries including Japan, Germany and the Netherlands.
The sector is made up of around 350 commercial and 100 emerging farmers, who have battled dry conditions for successive years that have dented yields and pushed prices higher.
Industry officials were working on getting similar protected designations of origin for rooibos from the World Trade Organization.
“With more value it means farmers can invest more in sustainable farming,” said SA Rooibos Council director Dawie de Villiers.
He hoped the EU nod would mean rooibos could be sold at a premium, much like champagne when compared with other sparkling wines.