Citrus Growers Association CEO Justin Chadwick releases statement in response to Bloomberg report
The South African Citrus Growers Association (CGA) has issued a statement denying that the industry is under threat from citrus greening disease.
The statement was in response to a report published by Bloomberg late last week, in which the outlet cited tensions over how South African citrus exporters deal with the EU, particularly rival citrus supplier Spain. He suggested that the country was facing a “new disease threat.” Fungal infection.
CGA chief executive Justin Chadwick said the claims were “inaccurate and misleading”. He commented: “Any suggestion that exported citrus fruit can spread this disease is false.”
The CGA noted that citrus greening had been practiced in South Africa since 1932 and continued to be managed with strict measures to prevent the movement of propagation material from affected areas to unaffected areas.
And, as Chadwick pointed out, it is not transmitted by fruit or seeds, which is why there are no restrictions on South African citrus exports.
Another more dangerous disease called huanglongbing, also known as Asian citrus greening disease or huanglongbing, severely hampers citrus production in other parts of the world, but is absent from South Africa.
“The future is bright for South Africa’s citrus industry,” Chadwick added.
