Banned ‘agricultural pesticide’ trick foiled – Latest News

MELTEM GÜNEŞ / Ankara – With the operation they carried out, teams from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry prevented the introduction of 20 tons of the banned substance, which was imported from China with the declaration “to be used in the paint additive and cosmetic industry” but was bottled and turned into a plant protection product, from being put on the market. If this operation had not taken place, the banned substance would have been used as an agricultural pesticide in vegetable and fruit gardens in Antalya.

While agricultural pesticide residues threaten human health, the high residue limit also causes exported products to be returned.

According to the information obtained by Milliyet, the Izmir Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry teams, evaluating a notice sent to the Ministry of Commerce Notification Coordination and Communication System, took action upon the information that the banned substance called “dimethoate” was being prepared for sale as an agricultural pesticide.

20 tons of dimethoate was seized in the operation, which was also supported by the Provincial Police Department teams. It was determined that the product in question was imported from China with the declaration of “to be used in the paint additive and cosmetic industry”, but that it would be put on sale by filling the bottle of a free agricultural product.

HE WAS GOING TO ANTALYA

It was determined that approximately 2 million liras worth of imported banned drugs were prepared to be sent to Antalya. It was learned that if the product in question is used in exported Turkish agricultural products, it will receive a notification from the European Union and cause it to be returned. In the investigation carried out by the General Directorate of Food Control, it was understood that the 4 companies in which the suspect who imported the banned substance were partners were not active in the paint industry, and the sender located in China was active in the field of agricultural chemical product supply. Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into the incident, which is still being investigated.

BEING DESTROYED

According to the information obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture, notifications are mostly received due to pesticides on products such as citrus fruits, peppers, quince, grapes, vine leaves and pomegranates. Preliminary inspection is carried out in order to prevent problems that may occur in export from the beginning.

All food products returning to Turkey due to residues are analyzed, and in case of residues above the limits or use of non-recommended or incorrect pesticides, administrative fines and product destruction sanctions are imposed. Separate follow-up and traceability inspections are carried out for each Rapid Alert System (RASFF) notification for each Food and Feed purchased.

DECREASED BY 46 PERCENT

It was learned that the Ministry of Agriculture increased pre-harvest and post-harvest inspections on both domestic and export products against residues. While it was stated that the total number of notifications decreased by 46 percent when 2022 and 2023 were compared, it was noted that the ratio of the amount of products that received notifications due to pesticide residue to the total amount of exported products was between 1-2 per thousand.