UAE officials have announced it will ban fruits and vegetables exceeding maximum residue limits (MRL) of pesticides to protect human health. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) issued an advisory noting that it has “banned imports of certain vegetables and fruits from select countries with effect from 15th May, 2017 as those products have been found to contain pesticide residues in excess of permissible limits". There will be five Arab countries that will be impacted by the ban including Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman and Yemen. Unacceptable levels of pesticides in food imports were last reported in the country from India in May 2016 prompting the same safety concerns.
List of produce to be banned include the following:
- Pepper from Egypt
- Pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, lettuce, squash, beans and eggplant from Jordan
- Apples from Lebanon
- Melons, carrots and watercress from Oman
- All fruits from Yemen
Countries named in the ban have been requested by the UAE to provide a certificate of analysis of pesticide residues for all other vegetables and fruits stating that they are free of such residues as of 15th May, 2017.
You might also be interested...