TIRANA, Dec 26 /ATA/ – The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) lawmaker Jorida Tabaku voiced concern on Thursday after reports suggesting that export-bound shipments of Albanian tangerines were blocked on borders and were returned following concerns over pesticide residues.
In a post on the social media, Tabaku claimed that tangerine exports were blocked due to the use of banned pesticides that fail to meet the European Union standards and norms.
According to Tabaku, “this again shows the government incompetence to manage the country’s agriculture sector and ensure basic foot safety standards.”
She noted that government funds for food safety had been significantly reduced, causing a huge gap in the control of agricultural products consumed domestically and exported abroad.
In a statement a day ago, the Ministry of Agriculture has addressed concerns over pesticide residues in local tangerines, assuring consumers that the country’s fruit is safe to eat. Following recent reports of pesticide violations, the Ministry confirmed that more than 85% of Albania’s tangerine production meets both domestic and international safety standards.
The Ministry highlighted that Albania exported 924 truckloads of tangerines this year, with shipments reaching European and global markets. Only a small number of exports were flagged for issues, with three shipments returned and destroyed due to pesticide concerns.
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