Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ2: Food safety of vegetables and fruits

Following is a question by the Hon Wong Yung-kan and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (June 28):

Question:

Regarding the monitoring of the safety of vegetables and fruits, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) regarding the findings of a survey recently conducted by an environmental concern group indicated that some vegetables and tomatoes on sale in the two major local supermarket chains contained excess pesticide residues and unregistered pesticides, whether the authorities know the registered farms or purchasing stations which supplied such vegetables and tomatoes; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(b) of the progress of its discussion with the Mainland authorities on the publication on the Government's website of the list of registered farms supplying vegetables to Hong Kong, and whether a timetable has been set for the publication of the list; if not, of the risk posed to the public; and

(c) whether it will set up a vegetable supply tracking system and a mandatory database to be provided by vegetable importers on the information on imported vegetables; if it will, of the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

Madam President:


(a) Regarding the control on imported vegetables from the Mainland, there has been an administrative arrangement between Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) and the Mainland. All vegetables imported from the Mainland must come from registered vegetables farms/collection stations for supplying vegetables to Hong Kong and be inspected and approved by the relevant Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau. The staff of Man Kam To Food Control Office would also inspect the documentation on the farms that supply the imported vegetables and use of pesticides. Regarding the subject case, the Health, Welfare and Food Bureau and FEHD have already met with the senior management of the supermarkets concerned. According to the information provided by the management of the supermarkets, some of these vegetables and tomatoes could be traced back to Mainland farms whilst others could only be traced back to vegetable wholesale markets in the Mainland or Hong Kong. The management of the supermarkets has promised to improve its source tracking system to facilitate tracing back the source for follow up actions in case of any problems arising from vegetables or other farm produce in the future.

(b) In response to the request of the Government of Special Administrative Region, the State General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (ASQIQ) has published the lists of Mainland registered vegetable farms and collection stations for supplying vegetables to Hong Kong on its website(Note 1) since April 30. The list will be updated from time to time. Moreover, the FEHD has also obtained the consent of the ASQIQ to set a referring link for the lists from its website.

(c) To ensure that vegetables imported into Hong Kong come from registered farms/collection stations in the Mainland, the FEHD will work with the trade to follow up on the issues of vegetable sourcing and tracking system. It will also remind large-scale vegetable suppliers and retailers to source their produce from registered vegetable farms/collection stations supplying vegetables to Hong Kong only. The FEHD has also sent the information on the vegetable farms and collections stations that are permitted to supply vegetables to Hong Kong to the two above-mentioned supermarkets to remind them to check the source of vegetables that are to be imported from the Mainland. At present, there is no plans to require mandatory vegetable database to be provided.

Regarding locally produced vegetables, at present, most of the large local vegetable farms have joined the Accredited Farm Scheme of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department(AFCD) and supplied vegetables to the local market through Vegetables Marketing Organisation. The remaining local supply comes from small vegetable farms that do not have consistent operation schedule or production capacity. To address the public concern for safety of vegetables and the actual operation practices of local vegetable farm, the AFCD plans to launch a non-mandatory registration scheme for local vegetables farms. The AFCD will commence registration for local vegetable farms in July. The database will be completed by late September. The database will keep on its operation. Besides, AFCD will conduct regular inspections to these vegetable farms, collect samples to test for pesticide residues and disseminate information on the proper way to use pesticides.

Note: (1) The list of registered Mainland vegetable farms for supplying vegetables to Hong Kong http://www.aqsiq.gov.cn/cms/data/2038/19062_19062_ccmd.xls
The list of registered Mainland vegetable collection stations for supplying vegetables to Hong Kong
http://www.aqsiq.gov.cn/cms/data/2038/19062_sgz.xls


Ends/Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Issued at HKT 12:27

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