85% of tangerines are sold, the risk cascades from the producer to the consumer

2024-12-24 14:04:24, Aktualitet CNA

Clementine mandarin is a type of orange graft that has more value and therefore higher prices and is more sought after in international markets. This type of tangerine has a slightly flat bottom in contrast to the classic type of fruit.

Due to the higher profits it brings, Albanian farmers have in some cases used banned pesticides for its growth. The blocking of quantities at the border points of the EU (Croatia), in addition to damaging the image of Albanian products in the EU markets, above all, the health of Albanian consumers is at risk. While hundreds of farmers who have cultivated tangerines honestly are suffering significant losses from image damage.

The Ministry of Agriculture called today to encourage the consumption of Albanian products for the end of the year holidays and beyond.

"For the year 2024, over 85% of the production of Albanian tangerines has been harvested and sold on the domestic and international markets and in no case have any of the checks and analyzes performed resulted in pesticide residues. Today, the cultivation of tangerines extends to over 1,000 ha by market farmers and smaller producers", the Ministry responded.

In relation to the media debate about the quality and safety situation of Albanian mandarins following previous communications in the official statements of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, we clarify to the public that:

The Ministry clarified that for the year 2024, 924 trucks were exported from the cultivation and harvesting of Albanian mandarin to the European and worldwide market, of which only 3 loads out of the total were found to have irregularities for waste and were destroyed. This report should not damage the work and sweat of a year's production of Albanian farmers and at the same time create concern and panic among the consumer.

85% of tangerines are sold, the risk cascades from the producer to the consumer

According to the notification of the Rapid Notification System for Food and Animal Feed - RASFF for pesticide residues in tangerines exported from the Republic of Albania, the AKU has taken immediate measures for traceability and procedural actions on the exporting subjects by taking concrete measures and actions for disposed of 20,482 kg of clementine mandarins, on 19.12.2024, in the County of Fier, cargo which was returned back from the state of Croatia. The disposal procedure was carried out together with the presence of the National Environment Authority, the Directorate of Taxes, as well as with the presence of several different media, it is further stated in the reaction.

In cooperation with the National Veterinary and Plant Protection Authority, on 19.12.2024, joint inspections and evidence were carried out in the Mursi Village of Konispol Municipality, where one of the farmers, who had destroyed the tangerine product, practices cultivation. For the collecting subjects that resulted in violation of the legal provisions, in addition to criminal charges, according to the violations, administrative fines and blocking of activity were also taken. To follow up on the following situation, joint inspections were carried out every day in Berat district, Dimal Municipality.

"We inform the consumer regarding the other two shipments, reported by the state of Croatia for pesticide residues according to the notification of the RASFF system, that one has been disposed of in the Croatian state, while the other has not yet returned to the country of origin. All PIKs have been notified that in the event of the return of the product, it will be immediately blocked with the destination of destruction", announced the Ministry of Agriculture.

The National Food Authority continues the controls in the entities that trade Plant Protection Products and Fertilizer Products, where only for this week 46 PMB trading entities were checked and verified, in which no violations of legal provisions were found.

Controls continue without interruption at trading points, points of collection and storage of fruits and vegetables, where, in addition to the 18 samples defined in the pesticide monitoring plan for the month of December, for the tangerine product, with the aim of keeping the situation under control, 7 more were taken. other samples outside the plan, for analysis in the Reference Laboratory - iSUV.

85% of tangerines are sold, the risk cascades from the producer to the consumer

The annual inspection in the territory by AKU until today captures the figures of 806 inspections for pesticide trading and 862 inspections for fertilizer products. For the year 2024, a total of 188 samples were analyzed, of which 28 were for pesticides, of which 27 were found to be compliant, while 1 is in the process of analysis. For fertilizer products, 160 samples were analyzed, of which 24 are in the process of analysis, 134 were found to be compliant and 2 non-compliant samples, for which traceability was followed and all measures were taken according to the legislation in force.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has approved and is implementing the Action Plan for the Sustainable Use of Pesticides, which includes the entire chain of action with central structures and subordinate institutions, without excluding the support of the Agricultural University of Tirana, as well as producers Albanians. The purpose of this Action Plan is the proper and safe use of PMBs, for the protection of plant health to guarantee quality and safe production for the consumer, as well as the protection of the environment where they are used.

Thanks to the work of the structures of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, this year the territory of the Republic of Albania was protected and kept clean from Plague of Small Ruminants, even though the border countries had outbreaks and colossal damages. Cases of Avian Influenza and African Swine Fever were immediately managed efficiently and without damaging the epizootic situation in the country.

Meanwhile, there has been ongoing work to raise awareness about the production of biologically clean products through biological warfare, which also comes with an alleviating fiscal incentive. The strict use of protocols and the prohibition of the use of pesticides banned even in the countries of the European Union is a fact. It is required that even those few farmers who attempt to use them illegally understand that this way has only one option: detection and prosecution as controls and traceability are very high. Albanian farmers, producers, gatherers and exporters must cooperate to implement the best agricultural practices throughout the production chain, all the way to the consumer.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is transparent and has published on its official website the list of PMBs and labels of use, as well as the list of fertilizer products, which are constantly updated, making it clear to farmers not to use contraband products which are prohibited in EU countries and in our country. Farmers, every user or consumer has the possible access to get full information not only about the use, but also the consequences of their misuse.

We call on you to report any cases of illegality, irregularity or abuse that you find to the numbers published on the official pages of the Ministry of Education and Culture or related institutions, to become part of the shared responsibility in guaranteeing and maintaining food safety in the country./ Monitor .co.uk