Brussels - The EU banned most imports of South African citrus yesterday for the remainder of this year over fears that a fungal disease found in dozens of shipments could spread to the 28-nation bloc.
The ban follows the interception of 36 citrus consignments this year from the EU’s chief summer supplier that were contaminated with the fungal black spot disease, which is not currently found in Europe.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the European Commission was set to propose the ban following pressure from citrus growers in southern Europe.
“The introduction of citrus black spot into the EU territory would pose a serious threat to the EU’s citrus-producing areas. For that reason, it is necessary to further restrict the import of citrus fruit from South Africa,” the commission said, confirming the move.
The ban will apply to all South African citrus shipments from regions where the disease is present, which covers the bulk of the country’s production.
Initially the ban will apply only to the 2012/13 harvest, which ended last month. It will, therefore, have little immediate impact because the exports to Europe dry up around October anyway.
But EU officials have warned that the restrictions could be extended into next year if an ongoing study by the bloc’s food safety watchdog found that the disease could take hold in Europe’s estimated 500 000 hectares of citrus groves. That would threaten South Africa’s 600 000 tons of citrus fruit exports to Europe each year – mainly oranges, lemons, limes and naartjies – worth about e1 billion (R14bn).
South Africa supplies about a third of the bloc’s total citrus imports and is the main source of oranges for the juice drunk by consumers in Britain, Germany and France during the European summer months.
DA MP Annette Steyn said the citrus ban could affect up to 80 000 jobs. Currently, the citrus industry employs 40 000 permanent workers and a further 40 000 seasonal workers.
If this ban was not lifted urgently these jobs could be affected and the prohibition on South African products to the EU could cost the country more than R13bn a year. – Reuters and Staff Reporter