Citrus Black Spot proactive market closure

Cape Town - The South African citrus industry has decided to proactively suspend the export of citrus fruit to the European Union (EU) with immediate effect.

Soft citrus and exports from the Western and Northern Cape are excluded from the suspension.

This decision was taken at a special meeting of the Citrus Growers Association (CGA) Citrus Black Spot (CBS) Disaster Management Committee.  

The industry has requested the Department of Agriculture to give effect to this decision by suspending inspection and the issuing of Phyto Certificates for all EU citrus exports, except on soft citrus and all citrus exports from the CBS free areas.

"The SA citrus industry, in partnership with the SA government, has worked over the past six years to maintain SA’s comprehensive CBS risk management programme," the CGA said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

"This decision was taken as a measure to ensure continued access in future to the EU market, which is of significant importance to all industry stakeholders, not to mention the 100 000 people we employ."

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