The fruits will not survive the conflict.

As South Africa and the European Union face off in a trade battle over import rules, tons of oranges are rotting in containers blocked in European ports and risk destruction.

South Africa, the world's second largest exporter of fresh citrus fruits after Spain, lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) last month when the EU introduced new phytosanitary requirements which growers say , threaten their survival.

A “complete and utter disaster”

The measures came into force in July when ships carrying hundreds of containers full of South African fruit bound for Europe were already at sea, leading to them being blocked on arrival, according to the southern association. -African Citrus Growers Association (CGA).

"It's a complete and utter disaster," CGA CEO Justin Chadwick told AFP.

“Food of exceptional quality, which does not pose any risk, vegetates there… It is truly a disaster”.

The EU rules aim to tackle the potential spread of false codling moth, an African pest that has a thing for oranges and grapefruits.

The EU requires all oranges destined for European tables to be treated with extreme cold and maintained at temperatures of two degrees Celsius or less for twenty-five days, which South African growers say is not not necessary, as the country already has more targeted means to prevent infestation.

Under pressure

In its complaint to the WTO, South Africa argues that the EU requirements are “not based on science”, that they are “discriminatory” and excessive.

And they put additional stress on an already proven industry.

“It will add costs.

And right now, that's what no grower in the world can afford,” says Hannes de Waal, who runs the nearly century-old Sundays River Citrus farm (southeast).

Europe is the biggest market for South African citrus fruits, which are worth nearly two billion euros and account for 37% of exports, according to the CGA.

The sector employs more than 120,000 people in a country where more than one person in three is unemployed.

The new rules, which came at the height of the orange season, caught producers off guard.

Some 3.2 million boxes of citrus fruits worth around 35 million euros left with papers that became invalid on arrival.

The South African government rushed to issue new documents for shipments that met the new criteria, but hundreds of containers had to be destroyed, Chadwick said.

“The system already in place with us involves cold treatment, but targeted at the risk, whereas the EU measure is a general measure that affects all oranges,” explains Mr Chadwick.

The dispute is now in the hands of the WTO.

The parties have 60 days to negotiate a solution.

Failing this, the complainant may request panel arbitration.

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  • Agriculture

  • South Africa

  • European Union (EU)

  • Fruits

  • Export

  • Import

  • Conflict

  • Economy