All random samples of imported fruits and vegetables that were tested in the last three months had no signs of pesticides, Dr. Khaled Bin Muhammad Al-Fahaid, director of Public Relations and Media at the Ministry of Agriculture, said Monday. Samples of shipments that arrived in the Kingdom in the past three years have been subjected to a thorough laboratory analysis that showed they were safe, with the exception of two samples, of biryani leaves and lettuce, and those shipments were destroyed, he added. The Ministry of Agriculture, in cooperation with the relevant government bodies, monitors fruit and vegetable imports to ensure their safety and that they do not contain any pesticide traces. Samples are taken from shipments arriving at the Kingdom's land, sea and air checkpoints, Dr. Al-Fahaid said. The Ministry of Agriculture strictly monitors all imported agricultural shipments, of fruits, vegetables and animals, to ensure their safety, he added.
