Slovakia rejected the export due to pesticide residues in the mandarins.

In Satsuma mandarins intended for export from Turkey to Slovakia, residues of 'chlorpyrifos-methyl' were detected at 4.4 times the acceptable limit. Slovakia rejected the mandarins at the border on October 21. Mehmet Akın Doğan, the President of the Yüreğir Agricultural Chamber, stated that the rejected mandarins were destroyed at the Bulgarian border.

The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF), which aims to quickly share information related to food safety among European Union member countries and protect public health, announced in a report published on November 20 that chlorpyrifos methyl residues were detected in Satsuma mandarins en route to Slovakia. The report indicated that during inspections at the Bulgarian border, the pesticide level was 4.4 times above the acceptable limit set by the European Union. The mandarins were rejected on October 21.

"NOT SENT BACK TO TURKEY, DESTROYED DIRECTLY"

In his evaluations regarding the issue, Mehmet Akın Doğan, the President of the Yüreğir Agricultural Chamber, highlighted Adana's leadership in citrus production, stating that approximately 45% of Turkey's citrus production comes from the city. Doğan said, "We export our citrus fruits from September to May, primarily to Russia, as well as to Balkan countries and Central Asia. The Satsuma mandarins sent to Slovakia were not sent back to Turkey but were destroyed directly due to the presence of chlorpyrifos methyl residues found in border analyses. These products will never enter the domestic market."

"OUR FARMERS DO NOT USE BANNED PESTICIDES"

Doğan stated that chlorpyrifos methyl was banned five years ago and that this pesticide is no longer available in the market. He said, "Perhaps an old pesticide might have been left in a farmer's storage and used unnoticed in a small part of an orchard. However, our farmers are conscious and do not use banned pesticides. Citrus packaging facilities also do not accept products from farmers without conducting analyses. The product is packaged and sent abroad only after passing the analysis. This year, due to low citrus production in our region, prices are quite high. The packaging cost of a Satsuma mandarin reaches approximately 40 lira. It does not make commercial sense to send such an expensive product abroad without analysis," he stated.

"SAMPLING METHODS SHOULD BE IMPROVED"

Addressing possible deficiencies in the product analysis process, Doğan said: "When taking samples, it is necessary to sample from all parts of the orchard. However, sometimes samples taken from only one point can lead to incorrect results. For example, if a pesticide is used in a 100-decare orchard and runs out, and another pesticide is used in a small area, this situation may go unnoticed. This can cause problems with the sample taken from the location where the analysis is conducted. Such individual cases may not always yield clear results. To ensure a clear result, samples should be taken from all parts of the orchard. The packaging facility takes a sample from one part of the orchard and conducts an analysis. Therefore, a missed area may correspond to the analysis. It would be better if such a situation did not occur, but this is not a problematic situation for our country. The product that resulted from the analysis has also been destroyed where it was sent. Because when food safety and food control are conducted by the European Commission, if residues are found in the citrus there and this is detected, it is destroyed there and not sent to any country. When residues are detected in the European Union, the product is directly destroyed and not sent to another country. Products consumed in the domestic market also undergo the same analyses. Our farmers do not use pesticides that carry residue risks, and traders do not buy such products. If a farmer encounters such a problem, they contact us, and we report the situation to the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture."

WHAT IS CHLORPYRIFOS-METHYL?

Chlorpyrifos-methyl is used as an insecticide to control insect pests in various crops. Although this substance is in the process of being banned in Turkey, it continues to be widely preferred. It is known that this substance affects the nervous system and can lead to paralysis.

BANNED IN MANY COUNTRIES

Chlorpyrifos-methyl is a pesticide used primarily in agriculture and has been banned in many countries due to its harmful effects on health.

In Turkey, this agricultural pesticide was banned by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2021, as it was determined that it could have negative effects on neurological development and could be particularly harmful to children.