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The new phytosanitary measures that the European Union (EU) implemented against South Africa’s citrus could - if South Africa and the EU cannot resolve their dispute over these phytosanitary measures for imports of South African citrus within 30 to 45 days the case - be tried by a dispute settlement panel appointed by the World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB). This is according to Deon Joubert, the Citrus Growers Association’s (CGA) special envoy for market access and EU matters.

LEES OOK: Suid-Afrika verklaar dispuut teen EU se nuwe sitrusregulasies

He added that the CGA hopes that the situation would soon be resolved and that the parties were likely to become more stubborn the longer the process took. According to Ryan, EU authorities have been called on to explain the logic behind their decision to suddenly enforce these measures against the South African citrus industry.

Joubert added that the EU needed to show that Falso Codling Moth (FCM) was a threat to the region and how the newly implemented measures were protecting it against the pest.

Another story in Farmer’s Weekly this week looks at the profit margins for the grains and oilseeds production sector following a slight drop in commodity prices and continued high input costs.

LEES OOK: Kommer oor winsmarges vir veebedryf

Dr. Johan Willemse, an independent economist, advised farmers to manage input costs and finances with care during the upcoming production season. Despite high input costs and a decrease in commodity prices, there was still a reasonable profit margin to be realised by crop producers - provided they achieved good yields. Ryan says that while input prices had increased 30% over the past year, it was also important that farmers did not hold back on input such as fertilisers, instead, Willemse advised to rather reduce the number of hectares planted to cut input costs.

He added that high interest rates are another challenge that should be managed carefully.

ALSO READ: Suspension of anti-dumping duties on chicken welcomed

Ryan further adds that this week’s edition also looks at the government’s decision to suspend the implementation of definitive anti-dumping duties on poultry products imported from Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Poland and Spain for 12 months.

This was set to severely distort the local poultry industry, according to Kobus Laubscher, an independent agriculture economist. He shared with Farmer’s Weekly that farmers within these export countries received considerable state support, while those in South Africa did not.

As a result of this support, exporters could sell products at prices that were not market-related.

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