2024-04-21 11:18:09
Initially applied exclusively to South African citrus fruits since 2022 following pressure from European producers, the European Union (EU) is considering extending the cold treatment obligation to all imported citrus fruits that present a phytosanitary risk. If such a proposal is validated by the EU, the measure will now concern all other suppliers which also include Morocco, Egypt and Israel.
The European Commission is open, for the first time, to the possibility of requiring cold treatment for all imported citrus fruits presenting a risk of pests, a measure long requested by the Valencian agricultural sector to prevent the entry of diseases and guarantee reciprocity in business. This provision, initially applied in 2022 exclusively to oranges from South Africa following pressure from European producers following the detection of fruits affected by wax moth, might now be extended to mandarins and grapefruits, as well as imports into from other countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Israel and Zimbabwe. As a reminder, this phytosanitary measure requires that citrus fruits be subjected to a temperature between 0° and -1°C for a period of 16 to 25 days before import.
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Janusz Wojciechowski, European Commissioner for Agriculture, communicated this potential expansion to Carlos Mazón, president of the Generalitat Valenciana, during a video conference, according to a communiqué of this Spanish professional organization. According to the official, the issue will be addressed during the plenary session of the European Commission which will be held from April 22 to 25 and the final decision will depend on the new European Commission which will be put in place, following the European elections of June 9.
Spanish agricultural organizations welcomed the notification of the possible application of this phytosanitary protocol. According to these agricultural unions, apart from the protection of local production, the need to make this cold treatment compulsory for all imported citrus fruits is obvious given the recent interceptions of fruits affected by wax moth coming from Morocco, Zimbabwe and Israel. In their eyes, the application of this protocol on South African citrus fruits will have demonstrated its effectiveness.
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Last year, the South African Citrus Growers’ Association estimated that compliance with these EU regulations might result in a loss of up to $27 million for the South African citrus industry. only category of oranges. According to these South African citrus producers, an investment of $75 million in storage capacities and technologies would also be required to adapt to the said measure. This means that if this proposal is validated, it will not fail to cause a stir among Moroccan citrus exporters.
The European Union and Russia are the main consumers of Moroccan citrus fruits. According to the latest report from the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Morocco is the EU’s leading non-European supplier of easy peelers, with 109,822 tonnes imported. It is followed by Israel (58,663 tonnes, -4.5%) and South Africa (57,603 tonnes, + 15.1%). And to export its citrus fruits to the EU, Moroccan operators rely on the systemic approach guaranteeing the absence of FCM (lepidoptera species) also thanks to cold treatment.
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