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Johannesburg - South Africa has referred the European Union to the World Trade Organisation over Brussels' threat to refuse entry to South African fruit because of citrus black spot, Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies.
"The EU has threatened to refuse entry to citrus fruit exports from South Africa alleging that the fruits found with traces of black spot on peels pose a risk to the EU citrus producers," he said in a statement on Thursday.
Davies called the threat "protectionist", saying there was no scientific consensus to support the EU's claim that fruit from South Africa with the fungal disease could infect European orchards.
He has also pointed out that proposals from SA to divide the EU into different zones with stricter regulations for imports into citrus growing areas in southern Europe had been ignored.
South Africa has been left with no option other than to elevate the issue to the WTO, said Davies.
The EU did not immediately respond to request for comment.
About 45% of South Africa's R8bn-a-year citrus exports end up in the EU, but the presence of citrus black fruit in some shipments led to a ban of lemons, oranges and tangerines late last year.
In September, the Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa said it would voluntarily suspend citrus exports to the EU in order to comply with the EU standards against the fungus.
Citrus black spot causes unsightly lesions on the fruit and leaves, reducing both harvest quality and quantity.
The African producers maintain fruits cannot transfer the disease and say banning their produce from all EU countries is unfair because there are no citrus groves in northern Europe due to the colder climate, meaning there was no risk of infection.
- Reuters, Fin24
