Citrus industry dismisses reports on ‘greening disease’
The Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa has dismissed concerns that the local citrus industry is at risk due to a bacterial disease of citrus trees.
Some media reports have warned of the threat of African citrus greening disease.
The association says while the disease has been present in South Africa for decades, it isn't as harmful as Yellow Dragon, which has severely affected citrus production in other parts of the world.
The group says AC-GD can't spread through fruit or seeds, which means there are no restrictions on product movement.
It says some suggestions that exports could spread the disease are not true.
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"African Citrus Greening is under official control in South Africa, which prevents the movement of propagation material from greening areas to greening-free areas. It is important to note that ACG cannot be spread by fruit or seed, and as a result, there is no restriction on the movement of citrus fruit - and this applies worldwide. Therefore, any suggestions that export citrus can spread this disease is incorrect," the statement said.
"Some media outlets are incorrectly reporting that South Africa ‘faces a new disease threat’ in the form of ‘the African strain of the citrus-greening disease. This also incorrectly conflates two diseases."
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