According to the agricultural organization Asaja Málaga, in 2018, the number of interceptions of harmful organisms in the European Union grew by 15.9% compared to the previous year, with a total of 8,720 from non-Union countries. The main products intercepted were fruits and vegetables (62.4%), namely Solanum spp. and Citrus spp., which recorded 84.7% and a 12.9% increases, respectively.
The types of interception are broken down as follows: lack of phytosanitary certificates: 2,994 (34.3%); wooden packaging material (treatment) and other objects: 2,279 (26.1%); presence of harmful organisms: 1,712 (19.6%) and non-conforming phytosanitary certificates: 1,585 (18.2%). As for interceptions caused by the presence of harmful organisms in fruits and vegetables (62.4%), there was an increase of 4.5% over the previous year; however, despite this, HO detections in fruits and vegetables in 2018 have fallen by 40.7% since 2015.
The main countries of origin with harmful organisms intercepted in the fruit and vegetable sector were: Dominican Republic, Suriname, Nigeria, Israel, Brazil, Ghana and Thailand.
69.2% of the detections of harmful organisms in fruits and vegetables from countries outside the European Union are down to six species of plants or groups of species, with the most numerous being peppers (Capsicum spp.) (173), Solanum spp. (157), mango (Mangifera spp.) (141), Citrus spp. (96), basil (Ocimum spp.) (94), bitter gourds (Momordica spp.) (79). Solanum spp. and Citrus spp.
Source: diariosur.es