Spanish growers have warned that detection of disease on imports of citrus from third countries has risen, putting their own production under threat.
Growers’ association Ava-Asaja, based in the major citrus-growing region of Valencia, has pointed to an increase in detection rates from Pakistan, South Africa and Brazil. Quoting port data released by the European Commission, Ava-Asaja said that disease detection in citrus from Brazil had risen by five to 50 cases between 2010 and 2011 and citrus from South Africa by 16 to 46 cases.
Ava-Asaja president Cristóbal Aguado said: “We are playing with fire and that is why we are asking the European Commission to suspend citrus imports from those countries at least until a protocol is signed that will allow for inspections at source, as the US does with our citrus. We have been warning about this situation for a long time.”
One of the diseases the Spanish say is being more frequently detected is citrus canker (xanthomonas axonopodis), black spot (guignardia citricarpa) and citrus greening in some sendings from Pakistan.
“It is vital that EC authorities address this problem with the seriousness it warrants," concluded Aguado.
