22 de November de 2021
AILIMPO reports that in the summer of 2021, 10 batches of lemons from South Africa have been detected with Black Spot.
A record and unprecedented figure that has set off all the alarm bells in the interprofessional organisation.
Murcia, 22nd November 2021
The European Commission has confirmed through the Europhyt/Traces phytosanitary alert system that 10 batches of lemons from South Africa have been intercepted this summer infected with Black Spot, a dreaded disease that is not present in Europe.
Detections of Black Spot in lemons imported from South Africa
YEAR | INTERCEPTIONS |
2017 | = 4 |
2018 | = 0 |
2019 | = 3 |
2020 | = 1 |
2021 | = 10 |
This is a record figure, unprecedented, and has set off alarm bells for the interprofessional AILIMPO. Spain, as the second largest lemon producing country in the world and the leading country in fresh exports, cannot under any circumstances run the risk of South African lemons entering Europe infected with this dreaded disease. The entry of this pest from South Africa into Spanish lemon farms would mean a huge economic loss for our farmers and exporters, followed by a terrible negative impact on the employment generated by the Spanish sector.
In addition, AILIMPO points out that 3 of the 10 detections of black spot in South African lemons have been reported in the months of September and October, a period of the year that South Africa knows to be at the highest risk for this pest due to the weather conditions and ripeness of the fruit. In spite of this, South Africa sent a record volume of lemons to Europe in these two months, demonstrating that it prioritises export business over phytosanitary protection.
Specifically, AILIMPO has formulated the following proposals, which should be adopted in the coming weeks so that the new system of controls is ready before the summer of 2022: