South African apple exporters are expected to immediately start shipments to Taiwan again after the ban on South African apple imports were lifted by the Taiwanese government.
Imports were suspended last year when Taiwanese officials found one false coldling moth (FCM) in a consignment of fruit.
Since then the South Africans have been engaged in intense negotiations to get the ban lifted. Jacques du Preez of Hortgro previously told Fruitnet that growers were ready to resume shipments as soon as the ban was lifted.
A Taiwanese delegation visited South Africa last month to review the country’s mitigation processes, and this has now resulted in the all-clear being given.
Hortgro says a self-regulation system (PhytClean) will be only partly implemented this season as some of the steps required are not possible at this stage of the campaign. These are pre-harvest fruit damage assessment as well as packhouse delivery assessments.
“There will however be strong emphasis at PPECB and DAFF inspection levels with the strike system implemented from the start of exports,' said Hortgro. 'One strike would mean that the orchard is eliminated, two strikes will mean that the cultivar will be out, three strikes will mean that the grower can no longer export. Information about implementation of the PhytClean system will be communicated shortly.”
Hortgro says the responsibility lies on growers, packhouses and exporters to ensure that fruit picked, packed and exported to Taiwan is Codling Moth free. “The Industry cannot afford to go through this process again.”
