Importation of three Citrus consignments stopped

The Plant Health Directorate said today that over the past weeks it stopped the importation of three citrus consignments from Spain and Italy as part of its efforts to stop the establishment and spread of the Citrus Tristeza Virus in the Maltese islands.

The Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) is the most destructive citrus disease worldwide. Caused by a Closterovirus it is transmitted mainly by grafting of infected material and aphid vectors. The disease has led to the death of millions of Citrus trees all over the world and has rendered other millions useless for production. Farmers in Brazil and other South American countries gave it the name "tristeza", meaning sadness in Portuguese and Spanish, referring to the devastation produced by the disease in the 1930s. The symptoms are not always visible and may remain unnoticed for a number of years without affecting fruit setting and production.

The Plant Health Directorate regularly carries out inspections for CTV  in   citrus orchards throughout Malta and Gozo. Around 70 samples are collected each year and tested in the diagnostic laboratories.

As part of an EU wide effort to control the spread of CTV, Malta was declared a protected zone for this disease in 2004, in order to protect local cultivations from the introduction of the virus. This means that any movement of plants and plant material that might aid the spread of the virus is monitored.Imported trees have to originate from authorised nurseries and certified free from the virus and vectors. Any Citrus fruit imported into Malta from CTV infected areas have to be free of  foliage and peduncles. This reduces the risk of transporting aphid vectors.

Locally produced citrus fruit may be marketed with leaves and peduncles as long as they originate from CTV free areas. Citrus growers within the demarcated areas of CTV findings are not allowed to market products with leaves and peduncles. The demarcated areas within the Maltese islands are situated in San Blas and Daħlet Qorrot Valleys in Gozo. The contingency areas were set in 2008 following the discovery of infected trees in the area. These measures will end on 27th March 2012.