Spain asks EU to block Argentinian lemon

There's the fear that among the reprisals taken by Spain there might be a block on Tucumán's lemon entrance. No market in the world can absorb the fruit destined to the EU markets.

Is it possible that the European Union could decide to limit the entrance of Argentinian products to member states, in support of Spain due to the nationalisation of YPF wonder by Spanish company, Repsol? The possibility of conflict between Argentina and Spain passing into commercial relations is being evaluated seriously by the Argentinian government and citrus sector, which exports the majority of its production to the EU.

"We don't know what will happen", said the secretary of Productive Development, Bartolomé del Bono.

The Spanish government has stated that measures will be taken in answer to the nationalisation of YPF.

If there are Europe wide sanctions relating to the import of Argentinian produce one of the worst hit products would be the tucuman lemon and its derivatives, right at the start of the export season.

The president of the Citrus Tucuman Association (CTA), Roberto Sánchez Loria, said that he doesn't know what the implications may be of this conflict between the Argentinian government and Repsol, but his opinion is that things shouldn't be mixed. "It's a problem between a State and a private company, and should stay so. If reprisals are taken to prevent the entrance of Argentinian products in Spain or in the EU, this is unfair", he said.

Sánchez Loria admitted that if the entrance of lemon in the EU is suspended it would create a delicate situation. He said that it would not only be lemon exporters in Argentina that would suffer."This is a business that started before the birth of the European Union as a trading block, and there are many European companies involved. If the lemon exports are suspended, there will be many Spanish people harmed as a result."

Source: Lagaceta