Croatia has recently banned several shipments of tomatoes and peaches from Albania after laboratory tests showed that they contained high levels of pesticides and heavy metals, such as nickel. This development has created concern in the regional agricultural market.
In a reaction to the Kosovo media, the spokesperson for the Food and Veterinary Agency (AfV), Lamir Thaçi, announced that such products have not entered the local market.
"Controls are carried out based on the national plan of official controls and sampling, which are based on risk assessment. Within the framework of plans aimed at monitoring and controlling pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables (determination of permitted residue levels - MRL), the FVA has taken samples systematically. These samples have been tested in EU laboratories, using confirmatory methods", declared Thaçi.
He stressed that the results so far have been acceptable and have always referred to international standards and European Union regulations on pesticide residues. According to Thaçi, during the summer, including September, the import of these products from Albania to Kosovo has been minimal, as the local market is covered by domestic products.
“The sampling frequency is high during the import flow season, while currently we have very little or no imports of these products from Albania. The market is covered by domestic products,” he added.
The FVA spokesperson also stressed that there is good cooperation with counterpart institutions in Albania, such as the National Food Agency (AKU) and the National Veterinary and Plant Surveillance Authority (AKMVB).
"In any case of suspicion about the safety of any product traded between two countries, information is immediately exchanged. When we have any concrete suspicions, the AUVA immediately raises the level of control and takes additional measures to verify in detail each product or shipment," concluded Thaçi.
