In the wake of a move by the European Union to regulate the citrus industry, the Western Cape MEC for Agriculture Ivan Meyer has called for government intervention.
Meyer has written a letter to Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza urging her to swiftly intervene and save the industry.
The regulations might put about 140 000 jobs on the line and Meyer says the Western Cape province accounts for 53% of all agricultural exports.
EU announced that citrus exports must undergo specified mandatory cold treatment processes and that will severely affect the South African industry.
Back in 2019, Meyer said the sector employed about 112 000 workers and an additional 1650 were employed at the nursery level.
“The Western Cape is marked by the largest growth in soft citrus plantings (40 percent), followed by Eastern Cape (30 percent) and Limpopo accounting for 24 percent of total soft citrus production in the country,” Meyer said as per IOL.
“As the Western Cape is accounting for 53 percent of all agricultural exports in South Africa, the sustainability, growth, and market access of our fruit, in particular citrus, is of pivotal importance to this province.
“However, the industry is under severe threat as the announcement of the new EU regulations, which apply from July 14, 2022, require that imports of citrus fruit must undergo specified mandatory cold treatment processes and precooling steps for specific periods, up to 25 days of cold treatment, before importation.”
The new regulations could see 3.2 million cartons priced at R600 million being destroyed by authorities and that is a sentiment shared by the Citrus Growers Association (CGA).
As South Africa stands out as the largest exporter of citrus produce, Meyer believes Didiza’s intervention can definitely save the industry and jobs.
“South Africa is the second largest citrus exporter in the world and accounts for 10 percent of global exports,” he added.
“Two-thirds of citrus production is exported as fresh fruit, generating 95 percent of total citrus earnings per annum and supporting substantial employment creation. This has also provided the basis for the industry’s strong growth in earnings over the past two decades.”
Moreover, the CGA insisted that the South African citrus sector boasted a proud record of adherence to pest and disease control measures of international importers and markets.
EU citrus regulations could hit South Africa with 140 000 jobs 
