NSW: Fruit and vegies clean say major industry stakeholders = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-18-2001
NSW: Fruit and vegies clean say major industry stakeholders = 2

The operator of Australia's largest fruit and vegetable markets says it is committed
to ensuring a reliable supply of safe produce.

The assurance from Sydney Markets follows a newspaper report saying that local market
gardeners are risking the health of consumers and staff by misusing pesticides.

The Sydney Morning Herald says migrant workers on the farms around Sydney can't read
complex English-only pesticide labels.

However the consumer group Fresh Produce Watch says tests on Sydney Markets produce
over a ten-year period show 98 per cent is within pesticide residue limits.

The consumer group's LAURIE GREENUP says the results are world class, and compare favourably
with those for the United States and EC.

Sydney Markets says it has spent about $11 million on testing over the last decade,
and has also contributed over $100,000 towards the monitoring of high-risk seasonal crops.

AAP RTV as/ge/rt

KEYWORD: VEGETABLES (SYDNEY)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.