TIRANA, December 2/ATA/ Socialist Party MP Ardit Bido spoke today in the Parliament about an orchestrated smear media campaign against Konispol mandarins, which has led to the fall of their price for the farmers, while in the city markets the price of the mandarins reaches over 100 lekë per kilogram.
He pointed to the wholesalers who want to bring imported mandarins into the Albanian market and launch media campaign against the local products.
“There have been no cases of detection of pesticide residues in Konispol mandarins. I would like to thank the Ministry of Agriculture for its presence last week in Konispol and its measures to address these concerns. I believe that it is high time for us to act in the service of these hardworking people, of an area that produces the largest quantity of mandarins for the Albanian market, produces them with high quality and works all year round for these days. We must act through state bodies, publicly declaring the great truth that this is an unfair and smear attack on the farmers”, said Bido.
The MP also took the opportunity to stress the need for taking measures to protect domestic production.
“Perhaps, it is high time for us to place a barrier at the customs for foreign products subsidized much more than Albania’s subsidies and are not in line with the free trade rules as defined by the World Trade Organization. This would pave the way to the domestic products being sold in the market at this time,” Bido said.
Bido also spoke about the flooding situation, which has affected various areas, including Saranda, Delvina and Konispol, causing major damage to agricultural lands, houses, livestock and beekeeping.
“The affected farmers and businesses will certainly be compensated,” he said. /a.f/r.e/p.s./
