EU phytosanitary rules shift South African citrus trade and crop dynamics

No time to read?
Get a summary

The European Union has introduced new phytosanitary rules for importing citrus into Europe, affecting shipments from South Africa. Initiated this summer, the cold-treatment requirement aims to curb the risk of pest incursions and disease transmission as fruit moves from the southern hemisphere into Brussels markets and beyond. The tightened protocol has raised ancillary costs in the supply chain and added complexity to logistics, contributing to higher freight and processing expenses for exporters. Industry observers, including those affiliated with European citrus monitoring bodies, report a noticeable decline in South African citrus exports to the EU for the second consecutive year, driven in part by the more stringent handling demands and the logistical frictions that accompany compliant cold processing. Official figures indicate the 2021/2022 campaign tallied 356,345 tonnes in September, marking a 3.9 percent drop from the prior season and a 26.1 percent decline versus 2019/2020. Source: EU Citrus Observatory. In the absence of October data, experts note a continued reduction in shipments as the Spanish orange season begins, reinforcing the perception that early-season demand from the old continent remains constrained. Additional EU trade data show a sharp deceleration in exports from Morocco since the 2018/2019 period, and a sizable drop in exports from Egypt, down by about 32 percent from last year and 50 percent from two seasons ago. Source: EU Statistical Agency. South Africa’s adherence to cold-treatment standards—designed to counter Thaumatotibia leucotreta, commonly known as false moth—mirrors the requirements applied when exporting to major markets such as the United States, China, South Korea, or Japan. The regulatory framework came into effect on June 24, when the cold-processing rule began to be mandatory, and by July 14, containers arriving without cold processing were no longer allowed entry into the EU. In practice, the Intercitrus interprofessional body, representing diverse citrus sectors, has raised concerns about transparency and consistent enforcement of the cold-treatment mandate, underscoring ongoing debates about how strictly the rules are implemented across different member states. Source: European citrus industry reports.

Crop development in South Africa

Industry analyses from the United States Department of Agriculture highlight a sustained expansion of South Africa’s citrus footprint over the last decade, propelled by strategic investments targeting high-value export markets. This trend culminated in a record global export volume of around 2.7 million tonnes during the 2021/22 season, even as shipments to the EU cooled. Projections for the 2022/23 season point toward a moderation in plantation expansion, reflecting shifts in land use and market strategy. The country now cultivates citrus on more than 100,000 hectares, a footprint that places it among the world’s leading producers, though much smaller than Spain’s Valencian Community, which spans about 182,000 hectares. Roughly 47 percent of South Africa’s planted area is dedicated to orange groves, with orange planting expanding at a pace of roughly 14 percent over the past seven years. At the same time, movements within the citrus family show a rebalancing toward tangerines and broader citrus categories, a shift that affects orange cultivation dynamics and future yield potential. The evolving mix of fruit types reflects both market demand and varietal adaptation to climate and agricultural policies. Source: USDA and national agricultural authorities.

No time to read?
Get a summary
Previous Article

Monza’s ascent, Berlusconi’s bold rhetoric, and the season’s turning point

Next Article

A tense midweek Pasapalabra episode builds toward a life-changing prize