The first Citrus Black Spot (CBS) interceptions of the season have been made in the UK.
The interceptions were reported on lemons, and were apparently found earlier this month by a Spanish importer operating in the UK.
Despite this discovery, Deon Joubert, the South African Citrus Association's special envoy to the EU,and the person who has been leading South Africa’s interaction with the EU on the issue of CBS, claims there is now more understanding in Europe for the effort the South African citrus industry is making in mitigating the risk of the transfer of CBS to European orchards.
Joubert based his assessment of the situation which the South African citrus sector finds itself in on greater understanding of the sacrifices the South African industry has been making, and the diligence the industry has shown in applying risk mitigation systems: “This is supported by the positive report of the EU’s Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) on what is done in South African to mitigate risk,' he added.
The South African industry is now spending more than R1-billion (£5.2 million) of its annual turnover of around R9-billion (£46.7m) on this issue.
