Filenews 7 January 2023 - by Nicoletta Kouroushi
A "headache" remains for the competent authorities the circulation of food, either Cypriot produced or imported, with pesticide residues beyond the permitted limits and often with substances, which are banned on the Community market, due to their harmful effects.
In fact, according to the 2021 data, per six producers, from whom random samples were taken for examination by the Department of Agriculture, one was found to be illegal (11 out of 59 samples). There is, however, a belief that tightening fines, following the amendment of the Plant Protection Products Law in 2021, will reduce abuses.
Asked to comment on the measures taken in order to have on our plates the safest possible products for our health, on the occasion of recent food withdrawals with residues of prohibited pesticides, competent officials of the Department of Agriculture initially reported that they are carrying out sample checks in the field, within the framework of the legislation on the rational use of plant protection products.
Specifically, as they pointed out, the Department of Agriculture carries out sampling and analysis of plant products before harvesting, while the controls are carried out on the basis of an annual control program or following complaints.
In the samples, as they explained, analyses are carried out to determine whether the detected active substances are contained in licensed plant protection products in Cyprus and, in addition, whether they are approved for use by the specific crop, from which the sample was taken.
They stressed that where an infringement is detected, administrative fines are imposed. For example, as they said, "in 2021, 59 samples were taken and 11 administrative fines were imposed, ranging from €250 to €2,500". "The legislation was amended in 2021 and a fine of up to €10,000 is allowed for illegal use and up to €30,000 for illegal trafficking through an out-of-court settlement," the officials noted.
Another provision, which has been included in the legislation in 2021, according to the competent authorities, is the publication of the name of the offending producers, while the Competent Authority may prohibit the harvest depending on the violation. It is also worth noting that the allegedly illegal producers retain the right of hierarchical appeal to the Minister of Agriculture.
The competent officers also pointed out that in addition to the penalties imposed, training is carried out and every professional user of plant protection products must be in possession of a training certificate for a professional user, while he is also obliged to keep a record of the sprays. It is also noted that each sprayer must go through a technical inspection before use. All this is checked if it is complied with, as the competent officials said, by the Department of Agriculture.
At the moment, the use of software, granted by Greece, is still under consideration, as they pointed out, in which all shops selling plant protection products will be obliged to record all retail sales, which will help to improve control.
It is also noted that the Department of Agriculture also cooperates with the Health Services of the Ministry of Health, which when they detect in the market a product of plant origin, in which pesticides exceed the maximum permissible levels, inform the Department of Agriculture by letter. It is then examined whether the substance identified is licensed in Cyprus and in which crops its use is allowed and then checks and sampling are carried out by the competent Department.
On the other hand, the Health Services of the Ministry of Health are responsible for checking products during import, while particular importance is given to the regulation for increased controls by certain countries. As reported to us by the Health Services, from January 2021 to October 2022, more than 800 samples were submitted for testing. The competent officer said that in case of detection of a product with pesticide residues beyond the permitted limits, an administrative fine of €850 per day of infringement is imposed.
According to a competent officer of the Health Services, samples are taken from the market, the barricades and the green line and in cases where pesticide residues are found above a limit, a relevant informative announcement is issued to the media, while at the same time the producer is notified in writing with a notification to the Department of Agriculture.
As mentioned to us in the cases of imported products with pesticide residue limits beyond the residue limits, the competent departments of the countries are also informed, while these foods are put under the microscope of new controls and only if the results of the controls are satisfactory, they are traded on the market, except in cases where the products come to Cyprus through the Community market.
