Good quality, improving conditions – this year’s watermelon inspections by the NATCP and government agencies have been completed

At the start of the season, there were still significant quantities of imported produce on the market, mainly from Greece and Italy; later, however, domestically grown watermelons became the dominant product. The experts also inspected roadside and temporary sales outlets. In addition to the quality of watermelons, the NATCP paid particular attention to whether distributors were correctly labelling the country of origin and quality grade, whether the origin of the produce could be verified, and whether the product’s journey from producer to consumer could be traced.

The most common problem was labelling deficiencies; in several cases, the country of origin or quality class was missing or incorrectly stated. A lack of traceability posed a serious problem in the case of four consignments. In these cases, a total of nearly 5,000 kilograms of watermelons had to be destroyed as their origin could not be properly verified. During the inspections, fines were imposed in 34 cases, totalling more than 1.5 million forints.

Tests carried out on the domestic and imported watermelons examined revealed neither pesticide residues exceeding the limit values nor any active substances not authorised for use on the crop in question.

The results of this year’s inspections show a clear improvement compared with last year: the number of non-compliances has fallen, and conditions for roadside sales have improved. The aim of the tests is to ensure that consumers have access to safe products of appropriate quality, whilst also strengthening distribution practices that comply with regulations. Inspections carried out by the NATCP and government agencies help to boost consumer confidence and support businesses that comply with the rules, ensuring that one of the summer’s favourite fruits reaches everyone’s table safely and with the appropriate information.