South African oranges have not been marketed on the EU market without first undergoing the cold treatment that came into force last July and which prevents the arrival of pests, such as the false moth, into the EU, stated on Monday Bernard Van Goethem from the EC's Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety.
"No oranges have been put into free circulation in the EU without this additional treatment, which may simply redo the full treatment that the products should have received in South Africa," stated Van Goethem during a debate in the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee.
He admitted, however, that some consignments of South African oranges had arrived at EU ports without having been treated after the treatment came into force. "Some Member States have assessed the risk and taken responsibility for carrying out treatment of the cargoes on arrival to achieve the same level of safety as that provided for by the decision which applies from 14 July," he added.
The EU has made it clear to the South African authorities that cold treatment by the Member States can only be exceptional and temporary, given the large quantities of citrus in EU ports shortly after the new rules began to apply, he said.
He also said that South Africa had been informed that it was expected to fully comply with the new measures.
The South African oranges that are now arriving in the EU already meet all requirements, which are the same or very similar to the requirements demanded by the United States or Japan, he stressed.
Source: agroinformacion.com
