According to the Regional Councillor for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Water, Narvay Quintero, vegetable products grown in the Canary Islands have fewer pesticide residues than imported ones and, therefore, the consumption of the former is safer.
Quintero made this statement during the presentation of the European project, Pervemac II, which counts with the participation of the Canary Islands, Madeira, Azores and Cape Verde, and whose objective is to analyse the presence of pesticide residues in crops to promote a healthier diet, based on the consumption of local products.
The Pervemac II is the continuation of Pervemac I, which consisted of the analysis of 1,260 fruit and vegetable samples (866 from the Canary Islands). This experience served to determine that there was a greater presence of pesticide residues in imported products than in local ones, as reported by the Council in a statement.
"This shows that the consumption of local products not only has the already known advantages of closeness, freshness and quality, but it turns out they are also safer products when it comes to pesticide residues, which brings added value," stressed Quintero.
However, Pervemac I led to the detection of 40 cases of breaches in the maximum residue limits in local production due to the use of unauthorised plant protection products. In almost all cases, this was "only a consequence of ignorance rather than of deliberate mismanagement," stated Councillor Quintero. This justifies the need to "continue with the aforementioned project and to continue working with the producers on training matters in order to achieve a more sustainable agriculture," he added.
The project also includes the development of an exhaustive program for the monitoring and analysis of pesticide, mycotoxins and heavy metal residues in fruits and vegetables, as well as in cereals and wine.
Source: diario.es
