Limpopo citrus producer hopes to kick-start trial exports to US

Following a proposal by the United States to relax a ruling on fruit imports originating from citrus black spot-affected areas, a Limpopo-based export company intends to be the first to send a trial consignment of citrus to the US.

According to Fresh Fruit Portal.com, the Loskop Valley-based GOGO Group is gearing up to send a shipment of its best quality oranges this coming season through its parent company, EKM Exports.

EKM Exports and GOGO Group managing director, Eben Kruger, was cited by Fresh Fruit Portal as saying: “We’re trying to do the first shipments from our area to the US this year, and we’re still in the process of getting that organised.”

This follows the publication – in September last year – of a proposed rule by the US Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (Aphis), to open up opportunities from growing areas in South Africa where CBS is known to occur, including the Limpopo province, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape.

Aphis said on its website: “As a condition of entry, the fruit would have to be produced in accordance with a systems approach that would include shipment traceability, packinghouse registration and procedures, and phytosanitary treatment. The fruit would also be required to be imported in commercial consignments and accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate issued by the national plant protection organisation of the Republic of South Africa, with an additional declaration confirming that the fruit has been produced in accordance with the systems approach.”