SA seeks German alliance on EU citrus ban

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.’