France, April 11 -- African exporters have welcomed a temporary reprieve from new US tariffs, after President Donald Trump suspended a planned 30 percent import tax for 90 days - but the bigger picture remains uncertain.

South Africa's citrus industry - the world's second-largest - is among those relieved to have narrowly avoided being hit by the new tax, at least temporarily.

"We feel some relief, especially because this came just as we were starting to pack and export fruit to the United States," Boitshoko Ntshabele, head of the country's Citrus Growers' Association, told RFI.

"We're now facing a 10 percent tax - the same as our competitors. But we keep saying South Africa should be exempt, because our exports come off-season compare...