The Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) is implementing enhanced control measures on table grapes imported from third countries. This emergency measure has been officially ordered by the Agency's Executive Director, Prof. Dr. Svetla Yancheva. The primary objective of the initiative is to guarantee the complete safety of produce offered on the Bulgarian market and to effectively prevent consignments that do not meet established requirements from entering the retail network.
Large-scale inspections are being conducted both at border crossing points and deep within the country:
- At the border, control is being carried out at the "Gueshevo," "Zlatarevo," "Kalotina," and "Kapitan Andreevo" checkpoints.
- Inland, the inspections cover wholesale markets, warehouses, and marketplaces specializing in the trade of fresh fruits and vegetables.
At the border checkpoints, inspectors check the documents and the identity of each consignment, assessing their compliance with safety requirements. Physical inspections are also being conducted, including the collection of samples for laboratory analysis to check for pesticide residue levels. An important detail is that consignments are not held directly at the border; rather, they are allowed to reach their final destination, where they are placed under a hold until laboratory results are released.
Inland inspections within the retail network are being carried out in close cooperation with representatives of the State Commission on Commodity Exchanges and Wholesale Markets, as well as the National Revenue Agency. If necessary, and at the discretion of the inspection teams, officers from the Ministry of the Interior will also be involved in the process. The focus of this oversight is to trace the origin of the table grapes and the movement of individual batches, monitoring for potential misrepresentation of origin, compliance with market standards, quality, labeling, and the authenticity of accompanying documents.
Within the framework of these enhanced measures, samples for pesticide residue testing are being taken not only from imports but also from table grapes originating from Bulgaria or other EU member states. If any violations or discrepancies are identified, the authorities will take legal action in accordance with the current regulatory framework. The BFSA continues its strict control throughout the entire supply chain to protect consumer interests and ensure food safety.