Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ6: Pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables

Following is a question by the Hon Fred Li Wah-ming and a reply by the Secretary for Health, Welfare and Food, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (December 20):

Question:

As currently there is legislation (i.e. the Public Health (Animals and Birds) (Chemical Residues) Regulation) prohibiting the feeding of prohibited chemicals to food animals by farmers and prescribing the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of agricultural and veterinary chemicals in the tissues of the food animals, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) as the authorities have enacted regulatory provisions on the chemical residues in food animals, of the reasons why similar provisions have not been enacted for fruits and vegetables;

(b) whether it will enact relevant regulatory provisions for fruits and vegetables in accordance with the standards prescribed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the United Nations in respect of the MRLs of pesticides in various kinds of fruits and vegetables ("the relevant international standards"); if so, of the legislative timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(c) in the absence of any legislation empowering the authorities to take enforcement actions, of the measures in place to stop traders from selling local or imported fruits and vegetables with pesticide residues of such levels exceeding the relevant international standards?

Reply:

Madam President,

(a) and (b) The regulation of food safety in Hong Kong adopts the risk analysis principle by risk assessment, risk management and risk communication, as recommended by the World Health Organization. Priority of work will be set according to the risk in food safety.

As the food safety risk of vegetables and fruits is relatively lower than that of meat and milk, the Administration does not have provisions regulating the levels of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits at present. However, as vegetables and fruits are food, vegetables and fruits for sale in Hong Kong, whether locally produced or imported, are regulated by the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Chapter 132) and must be fit for human consumption. In case the Centre for Food Safety (CFS) under the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) finds that the pesticide residue in vegetables and fruits are higher than the standard set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, CFS will conduct risk assessment and will consider prosecution.

For a more effective control of the use of chemicals in vegetables and fruits, the CFS will consider to regulate by legislation. The CFS will consult the Expert Committee on Food Safety in determining the priority of work, including setting maximum permitted levels of pesticides in vegetables and fruits, so that the concerned study can be started. Subject to the views of the Expert Committee, we will study the concerned legislative work and timetable.

(c) According to existing legislation, chemicals used on vegetables and fruits are already covered by the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance, including prohibition of the sale of vegetables and fruits containing excessive amount of pesticide residues. The CFS also enforces at import, wholesale and retail levels to ensure safety of vegetable and fruits. For example, out of approximately 62 000 food samples taken by CFS every year, approximately one-third (i.e. about 20 000 samples) are tests of pesticide residues of vegetables. The testing are focused at import level, with about 17 000 samples being collected at the Man Kam To control point while the rest are collected at wholesale and retail levels.

In addition, we will conduct joint operation with the Police and the Customs from time to time to check and take samples from all vehicles transporting vegetables at Man Kam To.

For locally produced vegetables, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) has been giving guidance on the proper use of pesticides to local farmers and promoting safe and environmental friendly pest management techniques. AFCD has also introduced the Accredited Farm Scheme and a voluntary registration scheme for local vegetable farms. At present, most of the large local vegetable farms have joined the Accredited Farm Scheme. Under the Scheme, farms are required to adopt good horticultural practice and integrated pest management measures. Their produce is tested by the Vegetable Market Organisation for pesticide residues before distribution to retail outlets. Furthermore, through the voluntary registration scheme, AFCD has established a database comprising information of local vegetable farms and will conduct routine inspections, disseminate information on the proper use of pesticides and collect pre-harvest vegetable samples to test for pesticide residues.

The Government is exploring the feasibility of requiring vegetable importers to be registered at the CFS, and will consider this arrangement depending on the implementation and results of the same regulatory mode on eggs which are of a higher food safety risk. Besides, we are considering to amend legislation to empower the Administration to order all wholesalers and retailers to suspend selling food with problems, including vegetables.


Ends/Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Issued at HKT 15:00

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