Agriculture ministry blocks milk trucks in Tirana

TIRANA, Sept. 27 – The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Protection blocked Wednesday a considerable amount of milk in Tirana because it was traded beyond the required standards, said the press office. That has happened during the last days after authorities found out the quality of the product was not in accordance with the health standards they had set. Authorities said that the milk was beyond standards, the trucks used were also not healthy and the product was damaging to the health of the people, especially to the children. Authorities appealed to consumers to abandon buying such a milk, also adding that milk was added with some 30 percent of the amount with water. The ministry had contacted wholesale milk businessmen asking them they collected the milk and processed it according to the required standards. Authorities said they were determined to fight informality in the trade of milk adding all those retailers who would accept such a milk would be penalized. They appealed to consumers not to buy open milk because they threatened their health. The ministry added it was not going to get tired in checking the products sold in the market in order to check their quality and standards.
The local media said the authorities had blocked Wednesday seven trucks with milk collected from farmers in Lushnja, Fier, Kavaja that was destined to come to capital Tirana. Five businessmen were fined 50,000 leks each.