President must act now to save 70 000 citrus industry jobs

16 August 2023

The DA in the Western Cape is calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to engage with the European Union (EU) and the World Trade Organisation over frivolous trade barriers that the EU is erecting against the South African citrus industry.

The EU has recently reported some cases of citrus black spot (CBS) disease, allegedly from South African citrus. Fruit with CBS is banned from entering the EU, interestingly the only global market to impose such a restriction.

If the EU were to consider a total ban on imports of citrus from South Africa, based on anecdotal evidence at best, it would have serious repercussions for the Western Cape, with the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa revealing R15 billion worth of exports would be in jeopardy, and 70 000 jobs in the citrus industry would be at risk.

A large part of this industry is based in the Western Cape, and it is time for the President to stand with our farmers and farmworkers by strongly representing their interests on the world stage, first by engaging diplomatically with the EU, and failing that, declaring a dispute with the World Trade Organisation.

MPP Andricus van der Westhuizen: “The Western Cape Government is making brilliant progress with our Growth for Jobs initiative. We definitely can’t afford to lose 70 000 jobs because the President is neglecting his duty to represent the citrus industry internationally. President Ramaphosa must mobilise the foreign relationships machinery of his National Government to protect one of our biggest export success stories.

I will be submitting questions to the Western Cape Minster of Agriculture, Dr. Ivan Meyer, on how his department stands ready to support and advocate for our citrus farmers and farmworkers.”

Issued by Andricus van der Westhuizen, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, 16 August 2023