As South Africa’s citrus
exports face a blanket
ban from the EU over
black spot, SA minister of
agriculture, forestry and
fisheries, Tina Joemat-
Pettersson, is in talks with
her German counterpart,
Ilse Aigner, to try to find a
resolution to the issue.
The European Union has
introduced a threshold of
five interceptions for South
African citrus in 2013 – and
once this threshold has been
reached, South African
citrus could be banned from
the EU market.
The citrus export sector
in South Africa is currently
worth R3 billion.
The Citrus Growers’
Association, South Africa
(CGA) has welcomed the
minister’s move, stating
that while Germany would
need to follow EU rules, the
country could play a role
in ensuring that the rules
are fair and scientifically
based. “They could also
ensure that any measures
taken by the EU are least
disruptive to trade,”
said CGA CEO Justin
Chadwick. He added that,
as a significant importer
of citrus, Germany had a
vested interest in ensuring
that trade disruption was
kept to a minimum.
Chadwick told FTW
that CBS was a cosmetic
issue and the fruit was not
a pathway for the disease.
“We export the fruit only,
not plants or leaves. And
CBS will never occur in
Europe as the climate
is unsuitable,” he said.
According to him, the
choice of the five strikes
threshold has no scientific
or logical basis.
There are currently
no strikes against South
Africa by the EU, but
Chadwick says that
looking at historical
interceptions, there is a
“strong likelihood” that
the country will receive
five interceptions by the
end of June. “The EU will
then decide what measures
to implement. The worst
case scenario would be a
halt to South African citrus
imports into Europe,” he
said.
Should the worst case
scenario occur, it would be
“an industry ending event”,
with one producer telling
FTW that it is the hottest
topic in fruit circles at the
moment, with the “very real
fear of closure” hanging
over their heads.
There are other markets
to which South Africa could
export– such as the Middle
East, The United States,
Canada, Russia and Asia
– but Chadwick says these
markets are “delicately
balanced” and can take
very little additional fruit.
Greg Rohrs, director of
Good Hope Logistics
which specialises in fruit
exports from South Africa,
adds that export rates to
these markets are also
significantly lower.
The citrus industry
currently employs 100 000
people on farms, in
pack houses and other
downstream activities, said
the CGA.
CAPTION
Justin Chadwick…’the five strikes
threat is seen as an industryending
event.’
