Citrus imports from third countries containing pests in Europe
The Unió de Llauradors reports that during the past months of January and February a total of 30 shipments to the European Union were rejected with citrus imports from third countries that contained pests, all of them from Tunisia (18) and China (12).
Sources from the Union explained that although the harmful organisms detected in the merchandise from Tunisia are of the type of mealybugs, it should be noted that the Maghreb country has the presence of the ‘Black Spot’ disease (Citrus Black Spot), caused by the ‘Phyllosticta citricarpa’ fungus, which mainly affects citrus fruits, although the leaves and stems can also be infected, causing their commercial deterioration.
It is the same pest that threatens the European citrus industry through imported citrus from South Africa, together with the moth ‘Thaumatotibia leucotreta’.
The Unió de Llauradors believes that Tunisia cannot guarantee its shipments free of pests and therefore demands that the European Commission carry out phytosanitary audits in all those countries that cannot guarantee the exit of citrus fruits without pests and thus suspend imports if not adequate guarantees of minimum risk are given.
On the other hand, citrus detections entering the EU from China also contain, among others, harmful pests such as the aforementioned Phyllosticta citricarpa fungus or Bactrocera (fruit flies).
The organization once again insists on the implementation of a single inspection criterion at origin for all third countries and that imports enter through a few EU ports – three at most – where the presence of a sufficient number of expert inspectors is guaranteed. citrus pests and diseases and with a representative percentage of samples analyzed.