Export of South African citrus to the US may be about to increase due to a change in export regulations on CBS areas. Eben Kruger from EKM Exports said nothing has been finalised, but the company's citrus farms in Los Kop Valley have been visited by the USDA."All we can say at the moment is that citrus from CBS areas in South Africa will be allowed into the US. There will be special procedures/requirements which we will have to meet but at the moment we don't know what they will be and what kind of timeline we can expect." said Kruger.
"If we do send fruit to the US the volumes will be very limited at first. There are a very small percentage of producers in the CBS areas that can fullfil all these requirements. I can't see that South Africa will have any impact on an increase of exports to the US, the fruit available vs the regulations that can meet the criteria is very little," explains Kruger.
Complying with the regulations and protocol means EKM Exports will be limited as to which varieties they can send. Cambria, Midnights and Delta-Seedless will be the only varieties sent.
Harvest in Los Kop Valley will start in week 18, but according to Kruger the early fruit will not be good enough for the US market, it won't be until week 28-30 that the fruit is of high enough quality to send there.
I
n the Los Kop Valley old orchards are being replaced with new varieties and the production is likely to grow in the coming years.For more information:
Eben Kruger
EKM Exports / GOGO Fruit
Tel: +27 12 809 1494
ebencel@mweb,co.za
www.gogofruit.co.za