Local citrus growers slam 'discriminatory' new export regulations
Local citrus growers have slammed new export regulations for oranges, labelling them drastic and misinformed.
The Citrus Growers Association of SA says the European Union began enforcing these regulations 23 days after announcing them.
"It will make is impossible for South African growers and exporters to comply. The CJ has since reports of hundreds of containers now held up at EU ports on arrival due to non-clearance as the certificates address the last measures," says the association's Justin Chadwick.
Under the rules oranges being sent to regions in the European Union need to comply with cold treatment processes.
READ: New EU export regulations leave bitter taste for SA citrus growers
Europe says it's introducing them to deter the false codling moth, a destructive fruit pest.
But Chadwick says these rules are unjustified and discriminatory to local growers.
"This crisis not only threatens the sustainability and profitability of local growers and the 140 000 jobs the industry sustains locally, but it will also result in less and more expensive citrus in European supermarkets.
To this end the CJ welcomes the move by the Department of Trade industry and competition to elevate this issue to a multi-lateral level."
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