Response from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to the claims of "toxic pistachios"

The General Director of Food and Control at the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Ersin Dilber, was a guest of Food Inspection Specialist Nurten Sırma, the moderator of the program published on Haberler.com.

The "Dubai chocolate" craze, which has affected the whole world, has increased the demand for pistachios. Dr. Ersin Dilber responded to claims that the European Union (EU) has rejected products containing "aflatoxin," which has carcinogenic effects, and that Turkey is the country with the most rejected products, with tons of pistachios being put up for sale in Turkey.

"ONE OUT OF A THOUSAND TRUCKS IS RETURNED"

Dilber stated, "First, the issue of Dubai chocolate was raised, and then the pistachio matter came to the agenda. However, Turkey is not just an agricultural country limited to pistachios; we export over 2,000 agricultural products to more than 200 countries," he said.

Stating that in 2023, Turkey exported 4.6 million tons of fresh fruits and vegetables to the whole world, including the European Union, Dilber noted that only 6,000 tons of these products were returned. He said, "This figure, which corresponds to one in a thousand, shows that the vast majority of the products were accepted. There can be many reasons behind one truck out of a thousand being returned, such as commercial disputes, lack of documentation, or road conditions." he added.

"THEY REPORT AS IF THERE ARE PRODUCTS THAT ARE NOT RETURNED"

Expressing that issues like pesticides and aflatoxin are just among hundreds of reasons for returned products, Dr. Dilber said, "We send pomegranates to Russia by truck. If one bug comes out of it, Russia returns that product to me. They report to the public that pomegranates have been returned from Russia, asking who will eat them. However, Russia makes this notification and accepts the product. Because today, the Mediterranean fruit fly has no chance of survival in Russia in this cold. There are no returns, but friends can still report this." he stated.

"17 OF 56 NOTIFICATIONS ARE PISTACHIOS OF AMERICAN ORIGIN"

Stating that they received 56 notifications regarding pistachios in 2024, Dilber mentioned that there is a difference in aroma, quality, and price between Turkish Antep pistachios and Siirt pistachios. He also noted that Turkish Antep pistachios are different from those of America, Iran, and Syria, saying, "I have received 17 of the 56 notifications from pistachios of American origin."

Addressing Turkey's position in food safety inspections, Dr. Dilber emphasized that we are one of the largest producers in Europe in agricultural exports.