EU worried about return of citrus black spot

Jaguar imports 58,300 pallets of oranges from South Africa each year, 25,300 pallets of grapes and 1…

Jaguar imports 58,300 pallets of oranges from South Africa each year, 25,300 pallets of grapes and 110,000 pallets of other fruit. South African imports make up around 20% of the company's volume of imported fruit.

The South African industry exports around 600,000 tonnes of citrus fruit to Europe, 400,000 tonnes of that going to the Netherlands.

The citrus industry generates R9bn from worldwide exports, R4bn of which is derived from EU countries. A total of R3bn of that sum comes from the Netherlands, which takes in the bulk of South African exports and represents two-thirds of the EU market.

There was a ban last year on South African oranges due to black spot, which was later lifted, however South African growers have been asked to take further measures to keep the black spot at bay.

Jaguar ambassador Kees Rijnhout on Thursday said: "Every year we are a little bit scared, (and) looking to other parts of the world to get fruit so that once there is black spot early in the season we have alternatives." however he believes the black spot will be resolved in around five years as a way to prevent it will be found.