According to data from the European Food and Feed Early Warning System (RASFF) of the first quarter of this year, Turkey still accounts for 60% of discarded fruit and vegetable shipments because they contain active ingredients that are not approved for use in the EU. As a general rule, it was found that the maximum residual content limits of agrochemical active substances (MRLS) allowed at EU level were exceeded, according to freshplaza.com.

In the first quarter, Turkey received 180 warnings out of 298 recorded for all countries from which fruits and vegetables are imported into EU countries. Besides, these numbers only grow. If in February there were 45 cases of detection of excess MPC, then in March - 74. Above all, the excess pesticides were recorded in citrus. The most frequently detected substance was methylchlorpyrifos or chlorpyrifos; an active substance banned in Europe.

Carles Peris, secretary general of LA UNIÓ de Llauradores (Farmers' Union of Valencia, province of Spain), said that "the data are really scandalous and show that Turkish imports should be suspended until a full audit." In early March, LA UNIÓ asked the European Commission and the Spanish Government to stop importing fruit and vegetables from Turkey in letters addressed to Director-General Sante, responsible for health and food safety policy and the General Directorate of Health for Agricultural Production. ministry of agriculture.

The organization also called for an increase in the frequency of Turkish fruit and vegetable inspections to 50% and an end to tariff asymmetries, because while Turkey exports to the EU at a tariff of 20%, Spain has to pay a 54% tariff for exports to Turkey.

Source: Agrolink