Citrus ban on SA products could affect up to 80 000 jobs
It has been confirmed that the European Union (EU) has enforced the ban on South African citrus products.
This comes after the EU warned South Africa about the continuing disease in our products, specifically black spot. Last week the EU cautioned South Africa about its intent to ban citrus products for the coming year. This has now been imposed and poses a risk to our economy (see below).
Currently, the citrus industry employs 40 000 permanent workers and an additional 40 000 seasonal workers. If this ban is not lifted urgently, 80 000 jobs could be affected and the prohibition on SA products to the EU could cost the country over R13 billion per annum.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, in conjunction with her colleague and Minister of Trade and Industry Rob Davies must act urgently and reassure the European community that everything will be done to prevent black spot from spreading. It is essential to reassure investors that South Africa priotises pest control.
Earlier this year, the DA urged Minster Joemat-Petersson to priotise animal disease and pest control measures. This was in light of a EU delegation visit to the country to assess whether sufficient disease control measures had been put in place after the 2011 outbreak of foot and mouth disease which led to another ban on some SA meat exports. This meant that South Africa was losing an additional R4 billion per annum. In its report after the oversight visit to South Africa, the EU highlighted that there was clearly still a lack of sufficient control measures in South Africa as the enforcing authorities were not sufficiently empowered to do so by the legislation.