Ministry revises tolerable pesticide residue limits in food items

The Agriculture and Forestry Ministry has revised the legally permissible level of pesticide residue allowed in both domestic and imported products, according to a regulatory change published in the Official Gazette.

The new regulation covers particularly domestically produced fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as animal products, legumes, grains, tea and herbal infusions. 

Under the regulation, residue limits were reduced for various products, while limits were set for the first time for certain items.

The regulation also includes extensive modifications to the maximum pesticide residue limits applied to imported products. Within this framework, imported goods will be allowed entry into the country after inspection in accordance with the updated residue limits.

Established with recent national and international scientific assessments in mind, the newly set limitations also comply with EU standards.

Prior to this new regulation, several Turkish exports faced scrutiny abroad, sparking controversy and concerns across the nation on food safety. Germany returned a shipment of peppers because of excessive pesticide residues, while Russia rejected a batch of lemons for the same reason.

However, Agriculture and Forestry Minister İbrahim Yumaklı responded to these public concerns, addressing allegations that agricultural products rejected for export due to pesticide residues were being sold in the domestic market.

He reiterated that such cases, involving the return of domestic products, represent a minuscule fraction of exports, underlining that Türkiye has achieved a significant 35 percent reduction in pesticide residue rates over the past years.

Emphasizing the government's strict approach to inspections on the...