ASAJA requests EU safeguard clause against South African mandarins

The Spanish agrarian association ASAJA has formally requested the European Commission to activate a bilateral safeguard clause regarding the import of mandarins and clementines from South Africa. This request is based on the trade agreement between the EU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

ASAJA reports that imports of small citrus fruits from South Africa have quadrupled over the last decade, rising from 55,768 tonnes in 2017 to 221,245 tonnes in 2025. The association argues that these imports increasingly overlap with the start of the European citrus campaign, specifically impacting early and extra-early varieties.

The organization warns that this trend causes market saturation, downward pressure on origin prices, and commercialization difficulties. ASAJA stated that these factors lead to a constant loss of profitability for thousands of family farms that form the economic and social fabric of many Spanish rural areas. The association emphasized that the measure is intended to ensure commercial reciprocity and balance rather than being a purely protectionist request.