The Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) has met with the new minister of trade and industry, Ebrahim Patel, to address the citrus black spot issue. According to CGA CEO Justin Chadwick, this will further the process already started with former minister Derek Hanekom to engage in consultations with the EU regarding its protectionist stance on citrus black spot. Scientists have argued that the disease cannot be spread by fruit and that it only occurs in summer rainfall climates. “We still believe that the only long-term solution is to get the science sorted out – which shows that the fruit is not a pathway for disease and we don’t send leaves and twigs with our fruit. The EU measures are totally inappropriate and we need to get it sorted out,” he said.
