AUV approves peppers and grapes returned from other countries over pesticides for the domestic market

Peppers and table grapes rejected in Bulgaria and Montenegro because of pesticide levels above permitted limits have been cleared for sale in Macedonia after additional laboratory checks.

The Food and Veterinary Agency (AUV) said that in the past three months four shipments were returned: three with peppers and one with black table grapes. After their return, the institution carried out further checks and local analyses found no pesticide residues.

Two consignments of peppers arriving from Bulgaria were tested in accredited laboratories. Samples from the second consignment were also analyzed at the State Phytosanitary Laboratory and at a laboratory in Strumica. Since the results came back negative, the products were released for distribution or further processing.

After additional testing, 14 tons of black table grapes returned from Montenegro were also released for sale or processing.

Meanwhile, the shipment of red peppers of the “Kurtovska kapija” variety, returned from Croatia, was safely destroyed.

During this period, AUV also received four notifications from Croatia through the European Rapid Alert System for Food. The notifications concern about 50 tons of fruit and vegetables from Macedonia, including plums and peppers.

Some of the shipments were destroyed, while others were stopped at the border and not allowed to enter the market.