A few weeks into the campaign to send South African citrus to Europe, lemons leading the way and oranges appearing at month’s end, pressures mounted against applying cold treatments to the shipments. By the end of April, the chief executive of the South African Citrus Growers Association, often seen as the citrus lobby of the country, published an opinion piece in Brussels across multiple reference outlets. The headline framed the issue as a countdown to resolve the impasse between the European Union and South Africa, arguing that the deadlock was harming citrus jobs. The data cited noted a production figure of 788,656 tons for exports to the EU, based on the 2022 campaign as reported by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Spanish government.
In parallel, South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, received visits from regional colleagues during recent meetings in Pretoria. Finnish Prime Minister Sauli Niinistö, speaking on protectionism, referenced perceived restrictions within the European community. Earlier, at another trade event in the country, Ramaphosa used strong language to criticize the measures, arguing that black citrus growers were among the most affected by the European Commission’s phytosanitary rules, which have required cold processing of citrus shipments to the continent since last June to counter pests.
Cold treatment is a standard, widely adopted practice
The practice in question is a globally standardized process that exporters, particularly those in South Africa, have long used for citrus exports to as many as twenty countries, including the United States, China, Korea, India, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, among others. This procedure is part of a broader framework designed to protect agricultural health while maintaining access to major markets.
it is a necessary measure
South Africa’s political leadership and its diplomatic corps have, through a series of meetings with port stakeholders and industry representatives in Brussels, stepped up the effort to keep the status quo intact. The goal has been to persuade importing nations that the cold treatment requirement—aimed at the so‑called fake moth risk—was implemented in June of the previous year by the European Commission in shipments from areas affected by this pest. The lobbying shared the messaging that the measure was imposed without adequate justification and called on European and other markets to accept it as necessary for pest control, especially ahead of parliamentary discussions.
The Standing Committee on Plant Health in the European Union has served as a focal point for these discussions. The committee’s meetings, scheduled in late April, were seen as a critical moment before the first cargoes from South Africa reach European shores. The South African citrus lobby has argued before the World Trade Organization that the measure was unnecessary, unjustified, disproportionate, and impractical. Critics from the European side pointed to the tactics used by the lobby, noting that pressure strategies have included threats and traditional political maneuvering. In Spain, for instance, the Citrus Management Committee chair underscored concerns about the lobbying approach and highlighted the need for transparent, evidence‑based measures that protect both public health and market access.