Bulgaria Returns 11.6 Tons of Peppers to North Macedonia over High Pesticide Levels

A shipment of 11.6 tons of fresh peppers has been returned to North Macedonia by Bulgarian authorities after laboratory tests found that the presence of the pesticide formetanate exceeded the permitted limit.

The shipment had entered Bulgarian territory through the Zlatarevo border crossing and was due to be delivered to a commercial operator in Petrich. Until the test results were available, the peppers were blocked and stored in a refrigerated warehouse.

After the tests were completed, the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency decided that the entire shipment should be returned to the supplier. According to the authorities, the products did not reach stores or markets in Bulgaria.

Data has not yet been published on the area of North Macedonia from which the peppers originated, while the identities of the producer and exporter are also unknown. The inspection is being carried out as part of intensified checks Bulgaria is conducting on fruit and vegetables imported from North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania.