Citrus imports should be suspended in 2014!

Copa-Cogeca reacts to EU decision to suspend citrus imports contaminated with the disease "black spot", indicating that this measure will have no impact since the season is already over in Africa South.

Copa-Cogeca can not run that risk again in 2014. We need measures that apply for 2014, before the imports in March.

"We must at all costs protect our 500,000 hectares areas planted in citrus against the disease black spot. This disease is not currently present in Europe but it can spread very easily from one fruit to another. Not less than 36 citrus shipments contaminated with disease black spot from South Africa were detected at EU borders in 2013. Citrus that we import from South Africa must not threaten the 10 million tons produced in Europe. We therefore ask the European Commission to act immediately to suspend the imports of citrus from South Africa in 2014. "Said Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General of Copa-Cogeca.

source : copa cogeca be