Summary
Confirmation of citrus black spot infections on imports of fruit from Tunisia is being linked to the illegal importation of infected planting materials. While the outbreak suggests the infection can take root in Mediterranean production zones, it has no impact on the debate on whether trade in citrus fruit from South Africa can be a vector for disease transmission to citrus growing areas of the EU. The European Commission should continue to resist Spanish citrus producer pressure to include the Phyllosticta citricarpa infection as a ‘priority quarantine pest’, since its inclusion would carry serious trade consequences for ACP citrus exporters.
Following the interception by French border authorities of up to seven shipments of citrus from Tunisia contaminated with the Phyllosticta citricarpa infection, the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) confirmed ‘the Tunisian authorities have officially declared an area infected with Phyllosticta citricarpa, the fungus that causes black spot’ (1). It is suggested this proves ‘the climatic conditions of the Mediterranean basin are not an impediment to its establishment’.
While the origin of the Tunisian outbreak is unknown ‘it is suspected that infected plant material has been illegally brought to this area’, with the floods recorded in September 2018 facilitating the spread of the fungus in the affected area. The Tunisian authorities have moved ahead with a programme to eradicate and monitor the potential spread of the disease
The Citrus Management Committee (CGC) which represents the main Spanish private citrus exporters, argues developments in Tunisia ‘should force the European Commission to adopt immediate measures and enforce stricter regulations on the citrus fruits from the EU’s main off-season suppliers: South Africa, Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay’. The CGC also renewed its calls for the European Commission to ‘include this fungus in the list of priority quarantine pests’ currently being drawn up as part of the EU’s new Plant Health Regulation.
Designation as a ‘priority quarantine pests’ will mean imports of citrus from countries where citrus black spot is present will be subject to ‘enhanced measures’ (2). These enhanced measures will include pest surveys, pest eradication action plans and contingency plans for dealing with pest threats (3). The absence of the required pest management plans would lead to a closure of the market to imports from the country where the pest occurs.
As part of the trade dimension of enhanced EU controls where there is no track record of trade and hence the pest risks are unknown the new regulation will allow the introduction of ‘temporary measures against new trade’. This could also see the introduction of ‘temporarily restrictions on imports, or even a ban, until more data becomes available to enable a risk assessment’ (3).
Spanish citrus producers are pushing for the adoption of a “zero tolerance” approach to CBS infections on citrus imports, with imports being banned the moment the first infection is detected (see companion epamonitoring.net ‘South Africa-EU CBS Dispute Takes a New Twist’, 1 July 2019).
The renewed lobbying needs to be seen in a context where the list of ‘priority pests’ has still to be determined, but needs to be in place by December 2019. The EC had earlier declined to include CBS and the fungus which causes it as a ‘priority quarantine pest’ despite earlier lobbying for such a course of action by Spanish citrus producers.
| Comment and Analysis Significantly the presumed origin of the Phyllosticta citricarpa infection in Tunisia, which involved the illegal importation of infected planting materials, leaves open the question of whether trade in citrus fruit from South Africa can be a vector for disease transmission to citrus growing areas of the EU. The South African citrus industry has always maintained it would require a combination of highly unlikely events for the Phyllosticta citricarpa infection to take root in EU citrus orchards as a result of trade in citrus fruits. Thus the issue of whether trade in citrus fruit from South Africa can be a vector for disease transmission to citrus growing areas of the EU is unaffected by the emergence of a Phyllosticta citricarpa infection in Tunisian citrus orchards as a result of the illegal importation of planting materials.This suggests the European Commission should continue to resist Spanish citrus producer pressure to include the Phyllosticta citricarpa infection as a ‘priority quarantine pest’, since its inclusion would potentially carry serious trade consequences for ACP exports of citrus fruit to the EU given the statutory requirements which follow on from designation as a ‘priority quarantine pests’. |
Sources:
(1) Freshplaza.com, ‘Tunisia confirms the presence of the fungus that causes black spot’, 6 August 2019
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9130935/tunisia-confirms-the-presence-of-the-fungus-that-causes-black-spot/
(2) EC, New Plant Health Regulation; stringent rules for a better protection from plant pests’, EC Fact Sheet, 13 December 2013
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-4310_en.htm
(3) COLEACP, ‘New EU Plant Health Regulation: anticipating impacts for African Caribbean and Pacific countries’, 12 October 2017
https://www.coleacp.org/en/actu/new-eu-plant-health-regulation-anticipating-impacts-for-african-caribbean-and-pacific-countries