NAZ Alarms: Risk to the Food Chain from Imported Sunflower with Pesticides

The National Association of Grain Producers (NAGP) sent a signal to the caretaker Prime Minister, the caretaker Minister of Agriculture and Food, the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) and the Chairman of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP) in connection with the permitted import of sunflower seeds from Argentina with elevated pesticide levels, intended for industrial processing, the branch organization announced.

NAGP warns that there is a real risk to the food chain and the health of consumers if strict measures for traceability, control and complete separation of the industrial raw material from the food streams are not guaranteed.

The Association insists on clear information regarding the movement of the raw material on the territory of the country, including transportation, storage, processing and control over its final destination. According to NAGP, in the absence of guarantees for full traceability and lack of contact with the food chain, such import creates a serious risk.

According to European legislation, including Regulation (EU) 2017/625, the import of raw materials with excessive pesticide levels is permissible only under strictly controlled conditions – direct delivery for industrial purposes, demonstrable traceability and guaranteed separation from the food chain.

NAGP emphasizes that the practice in the European Union applies the precautionary principle in such cases, especially when the operator has access to the food market. This increases the risk of mixing, redirection or illegal use of the raw material. Allowing such imports without clear guarantees contradicts the basic principles of European legislation, including the protection of human health and the restrictions on maximum permissible pesticide residues.

In the absence of adequate control and transparency, there is a real possibility that the industrial raw material will enter the food chain, which would pose a serious risk to consumers.

The Association insists on an immediate meeting with the competent institutions and the provision of full information on the control mechanisms and the movement of the product, with the aim of guaranteeing the safety of the food chain.

BTA reminds that on Monday the Executive Director of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) Dr. Angel Mavrovski announced that the third ship with Argentine sunflower seeds is arriving, and it has been ordered to take samples with a team from Sofia, Varna and representatives of branch organizations. Our goal is to make all processes in state control transparent, to be clear and the same for everyone, he added.