Deadline to obtain the same is August 5
Food safety department officials have started taking efforts to monitor the pesticide content in vegetables sent to Kerala from Coimbatore. In one such move, they are educating the traders on the need to obtain the registration certificate or licence, based on the quantum of business they are doing.
This effort has been taken after the Government of Kerala made it mandatory for wholesale traders from other States to obtain the certificate or licence before August 5 to continue sending fruits and vegetables to Kerala.
According to Food Safety Wing Designated Officer (Coimbatore) R. Kathiravan less than 20 traders in Coimbatore have obtained the licence so far.
The officer told The Hindu that a special one-day camp was organised at six places on July 31 for the traders and commission agents. “Two hundred traders obtained challan to pay for the licence or certificate at the camps held at MGR Market and TK Market in the city and at Mettupalayam, Pollachi, Kinathukadavu and Sultanpet Markets,” he said.
Arrangements have been made at 15 browsing centres located near the markets to help traders apply online for the licence or certificate. The applicants would then be issued the certificate on Tuesday — a day ahead of the deadline for obtaining the same. It is learnt that MGR Market on Mettupalayam Road in the city sends 750 tonnes of various vegetables from Coimbatore, Mettupalayam and Ooty and onions from Nasik (Maharashtra) and Bellary (Karnataka) to Kerala. The licence would first be given to the traders there before it is issued to traders supplying locally.
According to an official, providing the certificate is the first step to monitor the quality of vegetables sent to Kerala through Coimbatore. Food safety officials would then collect vegetables samples from traders and send it for testing. There is no facility to test vegetables for pesticide residues in Coimbatore. Collected samples will be sent to the National Accreditation Board Laboratories (NABL).
No comments:
Post a Comment