The FINANCIAL — The Georgian National Food Agency conducted 1,352 inspections during the first half of 2014. In total 110 business operators have been fined as a result of these inspections and 25 have been suspended. Fast food restaurants are scheduled to be inspected in the upcoming period. Meeting food safety standards will not cause a rise in prices, officials from the Agency believe.
“The number of inspections has increased drastically in 2014. However, it is not enough. Food safety control is being implemented at each point in the chain, from primary production to its final consumption. The control is risk-based and should be carried out where it is most vitally important, proportional to potential hazards,” Kakha Sokhadze, Head of the Food Department at the National Food Agency, told The FINANCIAL.
From January to September 2014 the total sum of all fines for food safety violations amounted to GEL 133,800. In the prior-year period it amounted to GEL 156,400.
Sokhadze finds it hard to determine the exact state of food safety in Georgia. He said that in general, there is no absolutely safe food. “The problem will exist for as long as food exists. This is proven by the situation in even the most developed European countries. The issue is to minimize the risks,” he said.
“Georgia does not rank among the most advanced countries by food safety. Meanwhile, asides from some exceptions it does meet the standards of the existing legislation,” said Sokhadze.
During the first six months of 2014, 697 samples of different types of food, including water, were investigated. A total of 1,623 kilograms of solid and 744 litres of liquid food, 2,547 kilograms of meat and meat products and 2,961 eggs were destroyed.
1,352 inspections were conducted. 380 schools and 167 kindergartens were inspected.
110 business operators were fined. Meanwhile, the number of business that have had their processes suspended is 25.
“All the legislation changes regarding food safety will not increase product prices. Meeting hygiene conditions and storage regulations does not require additional investments. Food safety has long-term results; it will have a positive impact on future generations. Satisfying these demands will also be beneficial for businesses,” Sokhadze said.
According to Sokhadze, food of animal origin is considered to be of higher risk. As well as fast food restaurants, the Agency intends to control food establishments at medical institutions.
“There has been a breakthrough change in Georgian food safety in 2014. The recruitment process is one of the main successes. The Agency has amassed an appropriate number of qualified staff. Our opportunities are in line with the existing challenges and threats with regard to food safety. We have expanded our work on a regional level. Regional offices are staffed with employees of relevant qualifications. The NFA has been equipped with means for the movement of personnel, controlling and sampling. All the challenges and obligations that we have to meet in line with the DCFTA are very important. Food safety is one of the most important components of this agreement. Its consequences will primarily lead to our citizen’s health conditions and increase the export potential of Georgian food products on the EU markets,” said Sokhadze.
A total of 653 samples of different types of food, including water, were investigated in 2013. 175 samples were obtained. There were 379 cases of expired food. 257,847 kilograms of solid and 2,248 litres of liquid food, 12,975 kilos of meat and meat products and more than 1 million eggs were destroyed.
2,025 inspections were conducted. Meat and meat products’ processing plants and distribution facilities, catering facilities, markets, slaughterhouses, confectionaries, children’s nurseries, agricultural and other markets were tested.
284 kindergartens were inspected. 102 business operators were fined GEL 1,000 for the realization of meat without the veterinary certificate Form 2.
In order to promote honey export to EU markets a laboratory study was implemented for the first time, to reveal veterinary drugs and other residual contamination.
In 2013 the Minister of Agriculture in collaboration with a group of experts from the European Union prepared a European integration project on the basis of their recommendations. The programme covers the EU legislative acts. Georgian legislation should get closer to the EU in the course of the next 8 years.
“The new legislation carries doubly positive weight. First of all, it protects citizens from harmful products, and second, it promotes export. The training of entrepreneurs is very important. It has been stated that eight years is not enough time to get food safety standards in Georgia equal to EU standards. Implementing international standards step-by-step is a big advantage,” said Zurab Zurashvili, Head of the European Harmonization Unit at the NFA.
According to Zurashvili, honey is the first product that will be exported from Georgia to the EU. The Agency is also working on exporting fish products. “To start the export of food products to the EU market we need to meet four criteria: legislation base, services for inspections, laboratory capabilities and direct requirements for each product. Contrary to meat products, vegetables and fruits are easier to export. Accordingly, it will take less than eight years for these. If Georgia does not manage to assimilate every sort of product we can still prepare our target products for export to EU markets,” said Zurashvili.
“We are actively continuing the implementation of civilized changes in legislation. This will make state control even more relevant. The issues need to be solved in the upcoming months. We are paying huge attention to enhancing awareness of business operators regarding the new standards and requirements,” said Sokhadze.
Sokhadze states that the inspection will not be one handed. He says that the risk-based control is intensive. “We carried out inspections of animal slaughters and meat processing enterprises several times a year. And we will continue with this same level of intensity.”
The NFA has a hotline for consumers wanting to report an issue to the Agency. The number of such calls has amounted to 121 so far during the current year. The main share of complaints are related to products bought at shops. Consumers often buy goods that are either past their sell-by-date, or else are still within their period of validity but have spoiled due to being kept in inadequate storage conditions.
There have been cases of consumers asking us to check products bought at outdoor markets. However, the Agency is unable to control this as due to the legislation, external trade is prohibited.
It is impossible to control every trading store in Georgia. So, the management of the Agency finds such calls very helpful. 90% of calls originate from Tbilisi.
“The number of complaints made to our hotline has decreased this year. This can be viewed as evidence of the successful achievements of our work,” Sokhadze told The FINANCIAL.
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