South Africa, which breaks its record of detections of citrus black spot, turns to the WTO

The Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) of South Africa have requested consultations with the European Union (EU) at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in relation to phytosanitary measures established for its citrus fruits to control the fungus that causes citrus black spot (Phyllosticta citricarpa), a quarantine disease that, if it were to spread in European citrus farming, would cause serious losses. South Africa announces this decision precisely after having broken its historical record of black spot detections in its shipments to the EU in 2023: it reached a total of 51 interceptions, more than the 29 detections in 2022 or the 43 in 2021. During the last 20 years The South African country reports 494 cases of black spot in its citrus to the EU. As for other pests and diseases, since 2005 South Africa has accumulated 187 detections of false moth (Thaumatotibia leucotreta) and 2 ...