Food safety is absolute priority. Controls have been enhanced and intensified. Currently, fruit and vegetables producers are in our focus, says Ms Vesna Daković, Director of the Administration for Food Safety, veterinary medicine and phytosanitary affairs, says.
She calls on consumers to buy food from registered producers only.
Talking about situation when inspectors go and check products on the spot, Ms Daković says there are some unpleasant moments but not very often.
“Our inspectors are not inquisition, they are not the ones who punish, they train and educate. Penalties are for those who can’t be trained or educated. Unpleasant situations happen but not very often. Subjects usually agree to control checks”, Ms Daković says.
She says that monitoring for fruit and vegetables control is very intense. Through regular monitoring they have noticed there’s risk of increased level of pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables, leading to putting all producers who sell goods to retail and distributive centers into the frame of the monitoring.
From 1 June 2017 to 26 May this year, a total of 470 deliveries of imported food were prohibited to be placed on market.
“Zero risk doesn’t exist but we do our best to reduce it to minimum”, Ms Daković points out.
She is familiar with sale of goods via Facebook.
Her message is clear – it is important we know that food must be bought from registered producers as only registered producers can be subject to control.
Asked if the Administration has criminal policy for producers of unsafe food, she responds affirmatively.
However, the objective is not to punish but to make sure consumer gets safe product.
“If the goods are placed on the market without previously been controlled, then penalties shall apply”, Ms Daković says.
As far as the system of purchase of products from primary producers, Ms Daković says that there’s still a lot to be done to make the system perfect.
“They must purchase food from registered producers, that’s the most important thing. We have made a consensus in that regard. They must have some self-control system to make sure that registered producers had brought them safe product. On the other side, agricultural producers must also assume their part of responsibility and that’s why we are trying to raise their awareness. There are some improvements in respect of the matter”, Ms Daković says.
After the monitoring on farms, ad hoc monitoring in commerce chains was carried out. Ms Daković says the results are much better than in primary monitoring.
“The next phase is precise and clear product declaration so that consumer knows he/she is buying green salad from specific producer which was purchased at specific time”, Ms Daković explained.
Where do the most critical goods come from in Montenegro?
“On the grounds of our risk assessment, we make estimates about where the risk is the highest. Most risk lies in the food of non-animal origin, that is, fruit and vegetables which come from countries that still haven’t European systems”, Ms Daković says.
