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Agriculture Minister, Tina Joemat-Pettersen, says her Department will continue to put strengthened measures in place to comply with the European Union's import requirements regarding Citrus Black Spots.
In a statement on Sunday, she said she will also do everything possible to minimise potential job losses in the citrus industry after the EU slapped a ban on the importation of citrus fruit for the rest of the 2013.
While it will not affect the industry now, concern is that the EU has laid the foundation for the ban to be extended into 2014.
Minister Joemat-Pettersson says they've been in negotiations with other additional markets while talks with the EU continues.
She says South Africa would like to maintain the EU market, but remains mindful that it has to find other markets for agricultural products, particularly with Brics partners.
