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Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
AS harvesting of the main fruits starts, citrus exporters are nervous amid the declining profitability of the product, as compliance measures implemented by the European Union (EU) to access its markets take effect.
The Citrus Growers Association of Zimbabwe (CGAZ) said the EU has imposed stringent regulations on imports of fruit from countries where citrus black spot (CBS) and false codling moth (FCM) are present.
These include South Africa and Zimbabwe and other citrus producers in Southern Africa and South America. Essentially, the tolerance for these pests has been set at zero interceptions.
In its report CGAZ said: “The cost burden of this requirement is heavy on Zimbabwe, as Southern African industries presently do not have sufficient cold storage in place to meet the demand. Zimbabwe currently has no ability to cold sterilise and this is all handled by agents in South Africa, putting additional pressure on the available facilities.”
The cost of this programme to citrus growers is very high. As the country’s citrus industry is poised for growth, Zimbabwe will have to invest in these facilities especially in Beira, both in the medium and long-term.
“Added to the high compliance costs, growers have to contend with a rise in electricity (especially at packing side) and water charges as well as other agro-inputs like fertiliser and chemicals, which negatively affects profitability.
“In logistics, the industry faces high costs of transport to port, shipping and agency fees all exacerbated by high fuel costs. We are on average 1 200 kilometres farther from port facilities than our biggest competitor, South Africa,” explained the CGAZ report.
Although the world juice prices are at an all-time high now, growers in the north of the country are not able to get fruit processed due to low capacity with CGAZ pushing for additional juice factories to be built to enable growers to have an outlet for processing fruit.
Without this, the viability of citrus production is severely constrained.
Citrus black spot is a fungal pathogen, which results in “black” lesions on the fruit, making it unsightly while FCM is a moth that lays its eggs on mature citrus fruit (oranges and mandarins).
The eggs hatch and a pupa (worm) burrow into the fruit, causing it to rot. The pupa, if allowed, could potentially survive and result in the moth being transmitted to other countries where it is not present.
CGAZ has put in place mandatory monitoring and spraying programmes and a defined management system to counter the CBS and FCM.
The Plant Quarantine Servies Institute (PQSI), with assistance from CGAZ, has established a standard operating procedure (SOP) to ensure that mandatory systems are followed for the export of fruit to EU markets.
To fully implement this all orchards are registered and monitored every year to ensure compliance with non-compliant players forbidden from exporting to the EU or China.
“In addition to the management system and SOPs, fruit has to be cold sterilised in transit for a minimum of 22 to 24 days. This will ensure that any possible larvae are killed before arrival in the EU or China,” added the report.
Online Reporter