Two pests shape almost everything
If you follow South African citrus in the trade press, two abbreviations come up constantly: CBS and FCM. Both are quarantine issues — plant health, not food safety — and both have shaped how fruit here is grown, packed, treated and shipped.
Citrus black spot
Phyllosticta citricarpaA fungus that marks the rind. The flesh is unaffected and it is not a human health risk — the EU regulates it to stop the fungus establishing in European groves.
False codling moth
Thaumatotibia leucotretaA moth whose larvae develop inside the fruit. A quarantine pest for the EU, managed through orchard control, sorting and cold treatment.
| Citrus black spot (CBS) | False codling moth (FCM) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Phyllosticta citricarpa, a fungus | Thaumatotibia leucotreta, a moth |
| What it does | Causes dark lesions on the rind | Larvae develop inside the fruit |
| Effect on the fruit | Cosmetic. The flesh is unaffected and it is not a human health risk | Damages the fruit itself |
| Why the EU regulates it | Risk of establishing the fungus in European groves | Risk of introducing a pest not established in Europe |
| Managed by | Orchard programmes, inspection and packhouse sorting | Orchard control, sorting, and cold treatment regimes |
The distinction between plant health and food safety is worth holding on to, because it is routinely muddled. Neither of these is a residue or contamination question. For residues, see MRLs — a completely separate regime.
Why it is contested
South Africa has challenged EU measures on citrus at the World Trade Organization. The core of the CBS argument is scientific: whether commercially traded, symptomless fruit can actually transmit the fungus to groves in a destination country. South Africa argues the risk is negligible; the EU has applied precautionary measures.
Separately, the EU introduced mandatory pre-shipment cold treatment requirements for certain oranges in connection with false codling moth. That added cost and complexity to the supply chain and was strongly contested by the South African industry.
What this means practically
- Fruit for the EU is grown under an orchard programme designed around these pests from the start — it is not something addressed at packing
- Registration matters: orchards and packhouses are typically registered and traceable for export to a given market
- PPECB certification sits between the packhouse and the vessel for South African exports
- The same fruit may be eligible for one market and not another — approval is per destination, not general
- Cold treatment, where required, has to be planned into the logistics, not bolted on
- An interception in the destination market can affect more than that one consignment
Where to check, every time
Use these rather than this page for anything you will act on: