THE Citrus Growers Association of SA has recorded only 15 interceptions this year – a record low from 28 in 2014, and 35 in 2013. 

And to sweeten the pot, the industry has also concluded a triumphant end-of- season, with 118 million cartons of citrus fruit having left our shores this year – another first. 

However, the relentless drought that has afflicted some parts of our country stands in stark contrast to this double victory.

The drought is expected to place significant pressure on the citrus export market, not to mention the impact on price.

This comes on the back of the ongoing scientific dispute between SA and the EU on the transference of Citrus Black Spot (CBS).

The fungus has been proven to transfer only between trees (through spores from fallen, decomposing leaves), rather than from one individual fruit to another.

Furthermore, CBS is only found in citrus-producing areas in the Southern Hemisphere, China and in the US. It has never established itself in Europe, because the fungus just cannot thrive in that climate.

And Trade and Industry Minister, Rob Davies has gone as far as to say that the EU stance was “fundamentally driven by protectionist, rather than plant health, concerns”.

It’s upon the detection of CBS (among others) that fruit exported from SA is intercepted. And the SA citrus industry has made every effort to comply with international trade protocol to mitigate the perceived risk of CBS and other diseases to an acceptable level.

And since 2012 the CGA and the SA government have gone to great lengths to comply with EU requirements, in order to establish a robust risk management system (RMS); and to maintain sound trade relations.

This has included extreme individual and collective efforts made by SA farmers and their partners in the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), to mitigate this perceived risk. Unfortunately, these efforts have come at enormous cost, both environmentally – the spraying flouts the world-wide trend of reducing residues – and financially to our local growers.

It was, therefore, particularly heartening when the EU directorate-general for health and food safety, as well as agricultural experts in Spain, Italy, France, the UK and Portugal extended an invitation to SA experts earlier in 2015.

Our delegation used the visit to learn all they could on how to further improve our RMS, to resolve the CBS dispute.

And subsequent to this, the EU’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) conducted an audit on SA’s RMS, which produced positive findings that were publicised in the FVO Report. While SA is heartened by this development, reaching consensus between us and the EU remains critical.

SA is committed to complying with and retaining favourable trade relations with the EU. Therefore – in spite of robust scientific refutation of any risk in the spread of CBS to the EU – we’ve adopted their principles, science and position in the application of our RMS program on CBS. 

It remains a grave concern, however, that these measures are simply not sustainable in the long term. And it’s come down to a precarious balance between this reality, and the enormity of what is at stake, should the EU pull the plug on our citrus exports.

Exports account for 90% of SA’s R9bn citrus industry; and exports to the EU comprise 40% hereof. We sell approximately 700 000 tonnes of fruit to Europe annually, including oranges, lemons, grapefruit and soft citrus.

So, should the EU terminate acceptance of our citrus fruit, we stand to lose that, plus the 100 000 jobs that hinge on these EU exports.

We can only hope for an imminent, mutually beneficial agreement to emerge from the talks between our government and the EU. There’s just too much at stake for this matter not to receive the urgent attention it deserves.

* Justin Chadwick is the CEO of the South African Citrus Growers Association. Views expressed are his own.