The Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa (CGA) announced the signing on June 29 of a protocol governing the export of fresh citrus from South Africa to the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). "If this was the Olympics, we would have just won gold," was the message from the association’s ecstatic CEO Justin Chadwick. "We have been under considerable pressure from the rest of the industry to access new markets, and in particular the Chinese market."
The signing of the protocol took place in Pretoria during a meeting headed by Vice-President Zuma of South Africa and Vice-President Zeng of the PRC. The citrus protocol was one of eight agreements signed during the meeting.
Finalising the citrus protocol is an example of a successful public-private partnership, the CGA said in a statement. Since lodging the application in December 2001, the South African department of agriculture (DOA), the CGA and Citrus Research International (CRI) have worked to progress it. During 2003, farm minister Didiza invited citrus industry representatives to accompany her when she met with her Chinese counterpart in plant health, minister Li. South Africa’s citrus application was completed in less than three years, compared to the standard 10-year long process. The joint efforts of the Chinese administration of quality supervision, inspection and quarantine (AQSIQ) and the DOA and CRI sped the application aided by South African agricultural attaché in Beijing, Mono Mashaba.
"But the hard work is not over," Chadwick told the press. "Growers and exporters will now have to come to grips with the requirements of the protocol in order to make it work. AQSIQ officials need to visit our industry and inspect orchards, packhouses, cold stores and port facilities. China will be treated as a special market; those wishing to export to China will have to register their orchards. In addition, cold sterilisation treatments will be applied to eradicate unwanted pests."
The CGA will inform the South African industry of the requirements and regulations involved, once it has analysed the detail of the protocol.
"Today’s historic signing of the agreement (MOU) that officially grants the RSA citrus access into China is a superb example of how industry and the government can work together for the benefit of the people of southern Africa," said CGA chairman Hoppie Nel.
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