Government needs to resolve trade impasse threatening SA’s citrus fruit sector

The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on national government to step up efforts to resolve the current trade impasse threatening South Africa’s citrus fruit sector.

New EU rules for SA fruit exports to Europe have already cost the sector around R200-million, but the longer term impact is potentially catastrophic unless a lasting solution can be found.

Local exporters were reportedly only given three days to comply with the stringent new roles which are ostensibly aimed at managing the risk of False Codling Moth, a known pest and cause for concern among European growers, according to the Citrus Growers Association of SA. However the Association says the new rules are illogical because South African citrus exports carry far less risk of FCM than imports from various other countries not currently subject to regulatory changes.

The EU rule change was effected with over 1000 containers of fruit already on their way to market, prompting urgent intervention from the SA Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. The Department agreed to issue phytosanitary certificates for some of the containers caught up in this bureaucratic tangle. We hope the Department can resolve the impasse and avoid and potential disastrous impact on a key agricultural sector.