The Platform for the Dignity of Agricultural Producers has travelled to Brussels to ask the European authorities for effective measures and greater controls on citrus imports from third countries arriving in the European Union, mainly through the Dutch port of Rotterdam, which is the point of entry for between 60 and 80% of all South African citrus fruits.
The Spanish citrus sector unanimously insists that preventing the entry of diseases such as Black Spot in southern Europe is vital, as that could lead to a catastrophe in an industry that handles millions of Euro and ensures the livelihood of thousands of producers.
The head of the citrus sector at LA UNIÓ, Carles Peris, and the technical secretary, Joanma Mesado, along with other representatives of entities that are part of the Platform for the Dignity of Agricultural Producers, held a marathon of meetings this Tuesday with Valencian and Spanish MEPs from all parties to inform them about the phytosanitary situation of citrus imports to European markets and the need to establish new import protocols with stricter controls than those currently in place.
This Wednesday, another meeting is also scheduled with the Commissioner of Health and Food Safety, the Lithuanian Vytenis Andriukaitis.
One of the measures requested by the Platform is the implementation of European phytosanitary inspectors at origin in order to closely monitor each consignment. They will also request the implementation of the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 15 December on the basis of the measures proposed by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), including the cold treatment for imports with the goal of preventing health risks for European citrus.
Parallel to the meetings held for these two days in Brussels, the Platform for the Dignity of Agricultural Producers will deliver 13,400 signatures to the EU authorities with which it will call for greater defence of the rights of citrus growers.