Citrus organisation in urgent appeal to government over EU FCM regulations

On the eve of the start of the 2023 citrus season, industry body the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has written to Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel and Agriculture Minister Thoko Didiza requesting an urgent update about the government’s interventions to help resolve the current impasse between South Africa and the European Union (EU) concerning the new False Coddling Moth (FCM) regime governing the importation of South Africa oranges to the region. “Despite months of consultations between both parties at a World Trade Organisation (WTO) level, it appears very limited progress has been achieved to avert the crisis that will face the industry should growers have to implement these new regulations when oranges start being shipped to European markets in less than two weeks’ time,” the CGA states.