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Southern Africa: Mozambique Negotiating With South Africa Over Banana Ban

2 October 2008

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Maputo — The Mozambican authorities are trying to negotiate an end to a ban which South Africa has slapped on the import of Mozambican fruit, following the discovery of a fruit fly infestation in Niassa and Manica provinces.

Agriculture Minister Soares Nhaca, cited in Thursday's issue of the Maputo daily "Noticias", said a report has been sent to South Africa outlining the measures taken to prevent the spread of the infestation. He said the government is working with the private agricultural sector to establish the measures necessary for the South Africans to life the ban.

He was optimistic that the ban would be lifted as soon as South African phytosanitary experts had assessed the measures taken by Mozambique. A team of South African experts is expected in the country in the near future for further negotiations.

Mozambique exports about 20,000 tonnes of bananas a year to South Africa. But the fruit fly problem means that this year's banana exports are likely to collapse.

The fruit fly species concerned attacks a variety of fruit and vegetables, including citrus fruit, bananas, guavas, mangoes, melons, avocadoes, tomatoes and pumpkins.

To prevent the spread of the pest, the Ministry of Agriculture has set up inspection posts to prevent the movement of fruit from areas known to be affected to any other parts of the country.

Earlier this year South Africa banned the import of Kenyan avocadoes because of a fruit fly threat - but the Kenyans suspected that this was just a protectionist measure to knock out competition to South Africa's own avocado growers.

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