SA citrus experts to visit EU

SOUTH African citrus experts are due to visit European Union countries this week regarding the dispute over citrus black spot, which has threatened the country’s R10billion citrus industry.

The EU has imposed a number of bans on most imports of citrus from South Africa over concerns the fungus may be transmitted to European orchards.

Last year EU authorities intercepted 16 shipments with black spot-affected fruit from South Africa‚ the world’s biggest orange exporter after Spain and Egypt.

Earlier this year South Africa said it would avoid shipments through Spanish ports to avert a possible ban after authorities there refused producers permission to inspect testing facilities for the fungus.

Black spot‚ which affects some South African produce‚ causes blemishes on the peel of the fruit‚ which accounts for about 40% of citrus imported by the EU.

South African citrus growers and Department of Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies say the fungus will not harm EU orchards. Davies has gone as far as accusing the EU of having a protectionist agenda.

Local citrus growers have meanwhile sought to save the industry by spending close to R1-billion over the past year to comply with EU requirements.

This week’s trip follows an invitation from the EU directorategeneral for health and food safety as well as from agricultural experts in Spain‚ Italy‚ France‚ the UK and Portugal.

The delegation includes a number of citrus-growing experts as well as an agricultural specialist.

The industry’s special envoy to the EU‚ Deon Joubert‚ said the visiting team expected to shed some light on how South Africa could potentially improve on its risk management programme. — BDlive