Ministry seizes 20 tons of illegal pesticide

ANKARA

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has seized 20 tons of banned substances imported from China, originally declared for use in paint additives and cosmetics but repackaged as plant protection products free for sale.

The operation prevented the chemical named dimethoate from entering the market, especially in the Mediterranean province of Antalya, where it posed a potential threat to local produce.

Acting on a tip-off, the İzmir Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, supported by local police, seized the illicit substance.

The imported chemical, worth approximately 2 million Turkish Liras ($61,370), was disguised for sale as an agricultural product in Antalya.

Investigations revealed that the four companies implicated in the scheme had nothing to do with the dye industry, while the Chinese shipper was found to specialize in agrochemicals.

The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an inquiry into the incident.

Rigorous inspections, including pre-harvest and post-harvest checks, aim to curb pesticide residues and safeguard exports. If the product was used in exported Turkish agricultural products, it would result in a notification from the European Union.

According to the ministry, pesticide notifications mainly concern citrus fruit, peppers, quince, grapes, vine leaves and pomegranates.

The ministry continues to impose administrative fines and orders for product destruction if the concentration of a pesticide residue on a food commodity exceeds the allowed limits or the use of unauthorized pesticides.

Moreover, separate follow-up and traceability audits are conducted for each notification received through the Rapid Alert Systems for Food and Feed (RASFF).

While comparing data from 2022 and 2023, notifications decreased by 46 percent, with pesticide-related notifications accounting for only 1 to 2 per thousand of all exported products.