Authorities seized over 19 tonnes and 28,000 litres of agricultural products at a large holding in Vardim, near Svishtov, following inspections by the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA). The seized goods included items that were banned for use in Bulgaria, lacked necessary Bulgarian labeling, or had passed their expiration dates. Inspectors examined three warehouses.
The BFSA reported that while one facility was officially licensed for wholesale storage, the other two were operating without proper authorization. In the licensed warehouse, officials discovered 17.5 tonnes and 510 litres of banned fertilizers lacking proper labeling, alongside 530 litres of expired fertilizers. The site also contained 49 tonnes of sugar sourced from Ukraine.
The two unregulated warehouses yielded further violations. Authorities found 1.875 tonnes and 10,380 litres of banned plant protection products without Bulgarian labels, in addition to 16,725 litres of expired substances. An additional 10 tonnes of sugar, stored in violation of regulations, were also seized.
The BFSA confirmed that expired pesticides and fertilizers will be destroyed, and all banned imported products are scheduled for further review by relevant authorities. While a final disposition on the seized sugar has not been issued, it is expected not to enter the retail market. These inspections are part of Operation SILVER AXE, a coordinated effort involving Europol and
Topics: #tonnes #banned #fertilizers
It’s concerning that so much banned or improperly labeled agricultural product was found.