Last month, the European Union intercepted 11 shipments of citrus imports from South Africa, according to a Valencian agricultural association.

It said the shipments were intercepted due to detections of Phyllosticta citricarpa, the fungus responsible for citrus black spot, and the false codling moth.

In a press release, the Valencian Farmers Association (AVA-ASAJA) called on Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, to “stop being an accomplice to this scandal and take truly effective measures to prevent the intolerable risk of introducing new diseases and pests, which would result in an irreversible loss for our citrus industry.”

The association said that in July there were "eight cases detected in lemons, one in oranges and one in grapefruit."

It added: "As for the false moth, it has recorded one detection in oranges, the first of the season, as well as two more in Tabasco chillies."

President of AVA-ASAJA, Cristóbal Aguado, claimed that the detection of the false orange moth shows South Africa has not been carrying out the cold treatment, required by the European Union legislation, correctly. 

Other detections 

The release said citrus diseases have been detected in Brazilian shipments. Among the interceptions notified by the European Commission, Brazilian citrus imports have already accumulated 53 interceptions including 15 detections of the Elsinoë fungus (10 cases in limes) and the citrus canker Xanthomonas citri (5 cases in limes) in July.

AVA-ASAJA highlights the multiple detections of false moth in shipments from several African countries: in roses, four have been reported in Kenya, two in Ethiopia and two in Uganda; while in blueberries, two have been reported in Zimbabwe.