EU Green Deal mirror clause could put many SA farmers out of business

Fruit producers exporting to the EU will face significant declines in profitability as the Green Deal reduces pest control options. Lindi Botha reports on the impacts on key commodities.

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The EU’s Green Deal mirror clause, which came into effect in June 2024, requires countries exporting to the EU to adhere to the same regulations on crop production as EU farmers. This means crop protection chemicals that have recently been banned or restricted in the EU can likewise not be used by South African farmers exporting produce to the EU.

A report compiled by the Bureau for Food and Agricultural Policy (BFAP), supported by CropLife Africa and Middle East, mapped the effect of this clause on four key crops: citrus, table grapes, pome fruit and maize.

Overall, profitability is likely to decrease, resulting in job and production losses, and consequently a reduction in foreign income for South Africa.

POME FRUIT

In 2023, South Africa exported 40,7% and 45,5% of its apples and pears, respectively, of which 8% of the apples and 28% of the pears went to the EU. The EU is therefore the single biggest market for exported South Africa pears.

The report observed that the most notable active ingredient that would not be available to pome fruit producers hoping to export to the EU was mancozeb, used to control scab in pome fruit.

While alternatives were available, they were more expensive and may require more frequent applications. The implication would therefore be higher input costs, coupled with higher processing costs to remove damaged fruit, and lower income from reduced volumes of exportable fruit.

Based on BFAP’s farm-level and sector modelling, by 2033, 3,5% of apple and just over 3% of pear hectares will be lost.