SA asks WTO to settle disputes with Europe over citrus exports | Business

South Africa, the world’s second-biggest citrus exporter, has asked the World Trade Organization to set up two panels to adjudicate disputes over its exports of citrus fruit to the European Union.

South Africa disagrees with EU measures taken against its exports to combat incidences of Citrus Black Spot, a fungal disease, and to combat the spread of the false codling moth, which damages the fruit. 

“The European Union said it regretted South Africa’s decision to pursue panel proceedings in the two cases but maintained that its pest control measures are entirely justified,” the WTO said in a statement on Monday.

“The EU added that it was not ready at this meeting to agree to the requests for panels from South Africa.”

The request is the first ever by South Africa under the WTO’s dispute settlement system. South Africa exports about $1.8 billion (R32 billion) of citrus a year.

Its biggest competitor is Spain. 

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