South Africa is preparing for the 2024 citrus season amidst challenges posed by European Union (EU) regulations on the false codling moth (FCM). These regulations, introduced in 2022, have significantly disrupted orange exports to Europe, a key market for South Africa. The EU's new requirements, which include cold treatment and additional inspections for FCM, have created major obstacles for the country's citrus growers. Since the implementation of these rules, orange exports to Europe have declined, with a 9% decrease in volume in 2022, dropping to 570,020 tons, and a further reduction in 2023, reaching 469,465 tons, marking a 25% decrease from 2021 levels.
To counter these challenges, South Africa's citrus industry is exploring new markets, such as Vietnam, following recently approved protocols by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development. Additionally, investments in cold-storage infrastructure are being considered to meet the EU's cold treatment requirements.
Source: iol.co.za