The latest moves by the
European Union (EU)
standing committee on
plant health (SCPH)
regarding “black spot” and
SA citrus exports is nothing
unexpected.
Not a whisper of a
ban, according to Justin
Chadwick, CEO of the Citrus
Growers’ Association (CGA).
“As we discussed last time,
what they
intended to do
was to include
additional
requirements,
like inspection
and testing
at the SA
end of the
chain, in their
phytosanitary
regulations
related to
citrus fruits.
“And that’s
what they’ve
done.”
On paper this meant that
citrus fruits imported from
SA faced more stringent
criteria – like recording preand
post-harvest chemical
treatments; mandatory
registration of packing
houses; and on-site official
inspections at citrus orchards.
Also, pretty extensive
testing has to be done in SA
on all types of citrus fruit,
and with an individual focus
on ‘Valencia’ oranges. All fruit
showing symptoms will be
tested, and no distinction has
been made between citrus
fruits for fresh consumption
and citrus
fruits for
processing.
“While
onerous, these
fruit testing
requirements,
both in the
orchard and
packhouse,
are within
our industry
capacities,”
Chadwick
said.
But, while
the citrus
growers will do it, they
don’t need to like it. Indeed,
they’re not at all certain
about the future of their
120 000-employee,
R8-billion-a-year export
industry.
And Chadwick expressed
one of the ‘don’t likes’. “The
decision,” he said, “brings
a certainty to the industry
and, encouragingly, does not
legislate automatic bans after
a set number of black spot
interceptions – a position
mooted in the past.
“Ominously however, the
decision does leave room
for ‘additional measures’
to be imposed after five
interceptions.”
What it all boils down to
is that it’s doable – but not
economically sustainable,
according to the CGA. The
industry has already forked
out chunks of cash to satisfy
the EU demands. And it sets
SA on the fruit export back
foot, being the sole recipient
of this special treatment by
the EU.
It’s no new argument.
Since 1992 there has been a
dispute on such matters as
the magnitude of the blackspot
risk and the measures for
mitigation.
And although the CGA and
the departments of trade and
industry, and agriculture,
forestry and fisheries, have
fought their hearts out, the
dispute remains unsettled.
“It is now imperative that
this dispute – and the science
that underlies it – is resolved
once and for all,” Chadwick
said.
And while it will play
the game to the rules in the
short-term, the CGA has
plans for long-term certainty.
It has therefore called
on Senzeni Zokwana, the
new minister of agriculture,
forestry and fisheries, to
“prioritise the swift and
amicable resolution” of the
citrus black-spot dispute with
the EU.
The EU gets a third of
its citrus imports from SA,
according to the European
authorities.
INSERT & CAPTION
Ominously the
decision does leave
room for ‘additional
measures’ to be
imposed after five
interceptions.
– Justin Chadwick
