South Africa’s citrus industry is set to receive a boost in quality as stricter laws for propagation are tabled. The Citrus Improvement Scheme(CIS) will soon be promulgated after undergoing a two-decade process of consultation in the industry.
According to Paul Fourie, scheme manager at the CRI, the scheme would ultimately increase the profitability of the Southern African citrus industry by ensuring citrus growers were supplied with nursery trees of the highest quality.
Fourie noted that the scheme would bring multiple benefits to the industry, including improved biosecurity and traceability. “We are however aware that there will be disadvantages, like a possible reduction in the proportion of budwood cut in nurseries. The limited capacity of nurseries is also of concern,” he said.
Source: farmersweekly.co.za