The Citrus Growers' Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has refuted claims that the local citrus industry is under threat from a new citrus greening disease.
Justin Chadwick, CEO of the CGA, addressed media reports suggesting that a "new disease threat" is jeopardising the industry, emphasising that these claims are inaccurate and misleading.
According to Chadwick, African Citrus Greening (ACG), a disease that has been present in South Africa since 1932, remains under control through stringent measures that prevent the movement of propagation material from affected to unaffected areas.
He clarified that ACG cannot be spread by fruit or seeds, meaning there are no restrictions on the movement of citrus fruit, including exports.
"Any suggestion that export citrus can spread this disease is incorrect," Chadwick said.
Chadwick further distinguished ACG from Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as Asian Citrus Greening or Yellow Dragon, a more dangerous disease that has devastated citrus regions globally but is not present in South Africa.
He reassured that the recent detection of ACG near Gqeberha, while requiring further control measures, does not pose a significant threat to commercial citrus production.
In response to concerns linking ACG with ongoing World Trade Organisation cases regarding Citrus Black Spot (CBS) and False Codling Moth (FCM), Chadwick stated that such connections are inappropriate, as these issues are unrelated.
"The future of the South African citrus industry is bright," Chadwick concluded, lauding the industry's resilience and the robust phytosanitary measures in place.
The Mercury