Regional ministers say aflatoxin situation "under control"

BELGRADE The situation with aflatoxin contamination in the region is under control, and the countries will work together in the future to improve food safety. This was announced on Tuesday in Belgrade by officials of the ministries of agriculture of Serbia, Macedonia, Croatia, and both Bosnian entities: the Serb Republic (RS), and the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Regional ministers say aflatoxin situation "under control" The region is not the only place seeing increased levels of aflatoxin, they said in Belgrade, adding that it was a problem throughout Europe and that the milk made in the region was among the top quality ones in Europe. Serbia's Minister of Agriculture Goran Knezevic said it had been agreed to increase animal feed and raw milk inspections, improve hygiene in warehouses and communication between expert agencies and to make such meetings common practice. The next meeting between the region's ministries of agriculture will be in Sarajevo next month, he stated. Croatia offered to the neighbouring countries the services of its national reference laboratory for milk control to help control the quality of milk, he noted. The ministers from the region said they had no worries regarding milk from Serbia and that they had not encountered any quality issues with the imported goods. The meeting brought together Croatia's Minister of Agriculture Tihomir Jakovina, his Macedonian colleague Ljupcho Dimovski, RS Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Milovanovic and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dimovski said that the people in Macedonia were satisfied with the quality of Serbian milk for the time being, and underscores that one-fifth of milk in the Macedonian market is imported from Serbia. Dairies in Croatia were the first to be identified as producing contaminated milk in this current crisis, but speaking in Belgrade on Tuesday, Tihomir Jakovina underlined that the milk in the Croatian market was "excellent, healthy milk“, adding that the quality of milk produced in regional countries was "among the best in Europe". Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia-Herzegovina Mirko Sarovic stressed that Bosnia was taking all the necessary measures to keep the situation under control, adding that there is no fear of consuming the milk imported from Serbia. The government officials of Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina also said that their countries are implementing European standards in relation to the allowed level of aflatoxin in milk (0.05 micrograms per kilogram) and have no intention of changing the regulations. Goran Knezevic noted that the last week's decision to raise the allowed level of aflatoxin to 0.5 micrograms per kilogram of milk was a forced move aimed at saving small farmers and those engaged in milk production. But he added that Serbia would curb the maximum aflatoxin level back to the European standard in that area in several days. (Tanjug) Tanjug

Regional ministers say aflatoxin situation "under control"

The region is not the only place seeing increased levels of aflatoxin, they said in Belgrade, adding that it was a problem throughout Europe and that the milk made in the region was among the top quality ones in Europe.

Serbia's Minister of Agriculture Goran Knežević said it had been agreed to increase animal feed and raw milk inspections, improve hygiene in warehouses and communication between expert agencies and to make such meetings common practice.

The next meeting between the region's ministries of agriculture will be in Sarajevo next month, he stated.

Croatia offered to the neighbouring countries the services of its national reference laboratory for milk control to help control the quality of milk, he noted.

The ministers from the region said they had no worries regarding milk from Serbia and that they had not encountered any quality issues with the imported goods.

The meeting brought together Croatia's Minister of Agriculture Tihomir Jakovina, his Macedonian colleague Ljupcho Dimovski, RS Minister of Agriculture Miroslav Milovanović and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Dimovski said that the people in Macedonia were satisfied with the quality of Serbian milk for the time being, and underscores that one-fifth of milk in the Macedonian market is imported from Serbia.

Dairies in Croatia were the first to be identified as producing contaminated milk in this current crisis, but speaking in Belgrade on Tuesday, Tihomir Jakovina underlined that the milk in the Croatian market was "excellent, healthy milk“, adding that the quality of milk produced in regional countries was "among the best in Europe".

Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia-Herzegovina Mirko Šarović stressed that Bosnia was taking all the necessary measures to keep the situation under control, adding that there is no fear of consuming the milk imported from Serbia.

The government officials of Croatia, Macedonia and Bosnia-Herzegovina also said that their countries are implementing European standards in relation to the allowed level of aflatoxin in milk (0.05 micrograms per kilogram) and have no intention of changing the regulations.

Goran Knežević noted that the last week's decision to raise the allowed level of aflatoxin to 0.5 micrograms per kilogram of milk was a forced move aimed at saving small farmers and those engaged in milk production.

But he added that Serbia would curb the maximum aflatoxin level back to the European standard in that area in several days.