Morocco has suspended the sanitary and export licenses of producers who exported to Spain last week watermelons containing high levels of methomyl, a pesticide banned in the European Union (EU).
Last week, a batch of watermelons from Morocco was withdrawn from the Spanish market due to high levels of methomyl. Moroccan authorities have just taken action against those responsible for exporting these watermelons, sources from the National Office for Health Security (ONSSA) told EFE, adding that the health and export licenses of the producers concerned have been suspended.
As soon as the Community Rapid Alert System for Food and Animal Feed (Rasff) notified, indicating the high presence of methomyl in watermelons exported to Spain, ONSSA carried out investigations to “trace the shipment and determine the marketing circuit for the pesticide”, which led to the taking of sanctions against the people involved in the export of these watermelons.
Only one batch of Moroccan watermelons is concerned by the alert, assure the same sources, recalling that Morocco has only had five Rasff notifications on its fruits and vegetables out of a total of 497 alerts issued by this system on vegetables and fruits. imported from all parts of the world to Europe. Spanish farmers, for their part, denounce this entry of Moroccan watermelons containing a high level of pesticide, calling on the community authorities to take their responsibilities.
