270 notifications for Turkish food products in EU records: 195 in 'serious risk' category

Records reflected in the European Union's food and feed safety notification system included a total of 270 notifications for agricultural and food products exported from Turkey. The fact that a significant portion of these notifications resulted in product rejection at the border has brought pre-export inspections and control mechanisms in production processes back to the agenda.

According to the records, 197 of the notifications regarding products originating from Turkey were border rejections. In addition, 13 notifications were alerts, 49 were information notifications, and 11 were for follow-up purposes. This situation does not only mean that products sent to foreign markets are turned away; it also creates economic and reputational consequences for producers, exporters, and the inspection chain.

According to the assessment of CHP Niğde Deputy Ömer Fethi Gürer, 195 of the 270 notifications were in the "serious risk" category, while 38 were in the "potential serious risk" category. Gürer stated that these data show that residue analyses and field inspections, especially before export, need to be carried out more effectively.

PESTICIDE AND MYCOTOXIN WARNING

Ochratoxin A was among the most frequently cited reasons in the notifications. In addition, aflatoxin and various pesticide residues also caused numerous products to face issues at EU borders. It was emphasized that the risk of mycotoxin does not only stem from the production stage; post-harvest drying, storage, and transportation processes are also of critical importance in this regard.

Although the average pesticide usage across Turkey appears low, it is noted that in some regions where intensive agricultural production is carried out, the usage amount exceeds the world average. The fact that the amount of pesticide used per hectare reaches higher levels, especially in centers where vegetable and fruit production is concentrated, is cited among the factors that increase the risk of residue.

It was reported that Bulgaria, Germany, and France are among the countries that issued the most notifications regarding products originating from Turkey. It was stated that every border rejection experienced in the EU market, in addition to creating economic losses on a product basis, also serves as a warning regarding Turkey's reliability in agricultural exports.

Gürer expressed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry should increase residue analyses, more strictly supervise pesticide usage, and provide training and technical support to producers. According to experts, traceability, regular analysis, and correct agricultural practices throughout the entire chain from production to storage are of decisive importance for reducing the risk of residue and mycotoxin.