News Seed Potato Fraud
NVWA not criticized in seed potato fraud
Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) acknowledges that cooperation between the NAK and the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) could be improved. During the large-scale seed potato fraud, which came to light this spring, has acted appropriately, she says.
During the Letter to Parliament Minister Schouten answers questions posed on 6 September by Jaco Geurts and Maurits von Martels (CDA), Helma Lodders (VVD) and Roelof Bisschop (SGP). The reason for these questions was the critical statements that Eric Casteleijn, the director of NAK, made in an article by the trade magazine Boerderij.
Resources NAK limited
Casteleijn said that he was not impressed by the contribution that the NVWA made in detecting and tackling the fraud case. The minister confirms that the NAK is limited in taking measures. These serve to suspend inspections, or to impose orders and penalties. The service may not impose fines. The NVWA-IOD (Intelligence and Investigation Service) has now started a criminal (preliminary) investigation.
The seed potato sector itself also criticizes, among other things, the different actions of the Belgian FASFC (Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain). He had the seed potatoes planted in Belgium harvested and destroyed, or the crops that had already emerged were sprayed to death. This did not happen with 2 parties that Belgian growers planted in the Netherlands. The NVWA has also reacted slowly. The minister refutes this allegation.
Belgian law
In our country the illegally propagated crops have grown 'controlled'. Samples were taken from these batches to test the tubers for brown and ring rot. These were not found, so the potatoes were allowed to remain. Minister Schouten emphasizes that the same has been done in previous cases. According to her, there is no question of delayed action between the FASFC and NVWA. The fact that a different approach is used in Belgium is due to the application of Belgian law.
"The NVWA and the NAK have a long history of good, intensive cooperation", writes Schouten. "Where it doesn't go well, it has to be improved." The necessary steps have now been taken. She calls the fraud case unique because of its size, delivery across the national border and use of false labels.
Fines far away
Whether the NAK itself can take stricter action in the future remains to be seen. The Seed and Planting Act 2005 currently does not allow this. The minister will evaluate enforcement and this should be clarified by 2021 at the latest. A system of administrative fines is being considered.
Niels van der Boom
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