RSA citrus

South Africa has referred the European Union to the Phytosanitary Committee of the World Trade Organisation over its regulations on citrus black spot.

In a statement, Rob Davies, minister for trade and industry, said the EU was driven by protectionist rather than plant health concerns and that there was no scientific consensus for the EU’s claim that South African citrus poses a risk to European production.

He has also pointed out that proposals from South Africa to divide the EU into different zones with stricter regulations for imports into citrus growing areas in southern Europe had been ignored.
South Africa exports around 100m cartons to 45 countries, of which 45 per cent goes to the EU.

Last month the Citrus Growers Association of Southern Africa said it would voluntarily suspend exports to the EU in order to comply with Brussels’ standards against the fungus.