California Citrus Industry Leaders Slam Proposal To Allow Import Of Argentine Lemons

Friday’s announcement to issue a proposed rule allowing lemons from Argentina into the U.S. defied logic, according to California Citrus Mutual (CCM).

Joel Nelsen

Joel Nelsen, California Citrus Mutual

It followed on the heels of proposed rules allowing Chilean lemons into the country under less stringent protocols to avoid invasive pest and diseases. The Chilean rule followed a proposal to allow Australian oranges into the U.S from a heretofore designated pest infested area.

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The Argentine proposal is nonsensical because it relies on a pest and disease trip almost eight years ago, therefore lacking any knowledge of present day pest and disease reality, CCM President Joel Nelsen says.

“It defies logic because in 2014 the Argentines exported almost $400 million in agricultural products to the United States,” he says, “whereas we exported a paltry $5 million of comparable product to Argentina.”

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The U.S. citrus industry is fighting to stay vibrant against the ravages of an incurable disease, Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening. “The Obama administration wishes to bring more fruit from pest-infested and diseased areas,” Nelsen says. “What kind of logic is that?”

Today the California citrus industry, the nation’s supplier of fresh citrus, has spent over $100 million defending itself from Huanglongbing. Nelsen says the Obama administration seeks to undercut that effort with less expensive product from pest-infested and diseased areas.

The imported disease, which is spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, has ravaged the Florida industry. Government proposals could lead to the demise of California’s iconic citrus industry, Nelsen says.

“The California citrus industry is an industry dominated by the family farmer. The Argentine industry is dominated by a handful of producers that are truly supported by their government,” he says. “It’s too bad the Obama administration and USDA acquiesced to a request without a logical foundation. We have no choice but to fight for our survival.”

 

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