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The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) and the Customs and Excise Department recently conducted a joint operation at the Man Kam To Control Point to monitor Mainland imported vegetables distributed through direct sale.
Vegetables can be distributed through local wholesalers or direct sale and both are proper channels operated on a commercial basis in a free market environment. In response to recent reports on possible food safety concerns and smuggling activities involving vegetables imported from the Mainland which were not distributed through local wholesalers at Government vegetable wholesale markets or the Vegetable Marketing Organisation, the CFS and Customs conducted a month-long joint operation (from January 14 to February 15) at the Man Kam To Control Point targeting vehicles carrying vegetables intended for direct sale.
"The CFS and Customs inspected 114 such vehicles at the Man Kam To Control Point, examined the seal on them, checked the pesticide certificates and inspection cards issued by the relevant Mainland authorities, and collected 209 vegetable samples for tests for pesticide residues," a CFS spokesman said today (February 19).
"During the operation, there was no report of cases involving a vegetable source not tallying with accompanying documents. All the samples tested for pesticide residues were also found to be satisfactory. Also, no smuggling of other commodities by vegetable vehicles was found by Customs."
The spokesman stressed that vegetables imported from the Mainland had to undergo the same stringent inspection regime whether they were distributed through local wholesalers or direct sale.
The CFS will continue to work with Customs and other relevant government departments to combat any illegal activities and to ensure food safety.
Ends/Thursday, February 19, 2009
Issued at HKT 15:01
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