AVA-ASAJA demands enforcement of cold treatment on South Africa citrus
It also recommends extending the measure to South African imports of other susceptible citrus species, including mandarins and grapefruit.
SPAIN – The Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) has called on the EU to enforce cold treatment on South African orange shipments after the TRACES platform reported another detection of false codling moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta).
AVA-ASAJA is urging the EU to “enforce compliance with EU rules from this third country by requiring cold treatment of its orange shipments to prevent this pest from harming European citrus crops,” the association said.
It also recommends extending the measure to South African imports of other susceptible citrus species, including mandarins and grapefruit.
Cristóbal Aguado, president of AVA-ASAJA, said “something is not being done properly when the EU detects live false codling moths in one of the consignments of South African oranges that have been analyzed.”
He added that “a very high percentage of imports from South Africa are not inspected, and the pest could enter through them.”
Aguado stated that the EU “must take these issues seriously and enforce its own regulations, ensuring South Africa properly conducts the required cold treatment to prevent this unacceptable phytosanitary risk.”
The association argues that these quarantine risks threaten local crops and demonstrate a failure to enforce existing safety regulations.
In August, the EU intercepted a black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa) case in oranges from South Africa, increasing total detections of this quarantine disease in citrus fruits from that country to 16, according to AVA-ASAJA.
As a result, the association is calling for the EU to close its borders to South Africa and other third countries until they can ensure the phytosanitary safety of their shipments to Europe.
Among 62 instances of pests and diseases intercepted in fruit and vegetables from third countries throughout August, AVA-ASAJA also highlighted the detection of citrus bacterial canker (Xanthomonas citri) in lemons from Argentina, a Mercosur member with which the EU has signed a trade agreement despite opposition from the agricultural sector.
The association contends that European inspectors have identified cases of black spot disease and citrus bacterial canker in fruit arriving from South Africa and Argentina, threatening local crops.
Consequently, AVA-ASAJA is pushing for border closures against non-compliant trading partners to prevent an ecological and economic crisis within the European citrus industry.
Overall, the dispute highlights growing tension between EU trade commitments and phytosanitary enforcement, with agricultural leaders arguing that existing regulations are not being applied consistently across trading partners.
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