The Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory seized over 2900 kgs of imported vegetables in the Centenary Farmer’s Market, yesterday.
The vegetables, which were illegally brought into the country, was seized after receiving an information through BAFRA’s toll free number 115.
The DCM-Truck loaded with 1400 kgs of green chillies, 875 kgs of cauliflowers and 650 kgs of beans was caught on Friday night.
The Tshogpa of the Centenary Farmer’s Market (CFM) said that the vendors are compelled to import banned vegetables due to the limited availability and the increasing demand of such vegetables.
“We respect the efforts put in by BAFRA and we know these vegetables contain pesticides,” said Dhendup. “But the demand for such vegetables is increasing and we are failing to produce it, within the country,” added the CFM’s Tshogpa.
Some of the vendors also said buying and selling local vegetables is very expensive.
Meanwhile, BAFRA’s Officer In-charge, Kaling Dorji, said a person involved in such practices will be subjected to a fine equivalent to ten times the market value of the commodity. “This is as per the BAFRA’s Food Rules and Regulations of Bhutan 2017,” he said.
The seized vegetables were disposed of at the Memelakha dumping yard. Import of chilli, cauliflower and beans in the country were banned last year after unacceptable levels of pesticide residue were found following the tests.
