“The alarm over aflatoxin was not raised to protect consumers but as an unfair commercial fight between regional countries, said Albanian Agriculture Minister Genc Ruli. Foreign Minister Panariti described the ban on Albanian milk imposed by Kosovo authorities as speculative and an artificial barrier for the free movement of goods
TIRANA, March 5 – The ban of two Albanian milk brands in Kosovo because of slightly higher levels of potentially carcinogenic aflatoxin has sparked a new trade dispute between Albania and neighboring Kosovo. Albanian government officials have already labeled the ban as unfair commercial fight between regional countries, implying Kosovo, after samples tested in Italy proved Albanian milk mostly met EU standards for aflatoxin levels, while some samples proved two to three times above the EU standard but yet seven to eight times below norms allowed in the United States and Canada.
Assuring that the allegedly contaminated milk poses no danger to health, Agriculture and Food Minister Genc Ruli said this week “the alarm over aflatoxin was not raised to protect consumers but as an unfair commercial fight between regional countries.”
“It is a political but also professional obligation for us to protect from such blows not only our modern milk processing and packaging industry but what’s most important to also protect the interests of around 20,000 Albanian farmers who produce that milk which Albanians can safely consume,” said Ruli speaking at a ceremony on the 85th anniversary of the establishment of the Albanian Veterinary Service.
Albania’s Foreign Minister Edmond Panariti also described the alarm raised by Kosovo authorities as speculative and an artificial barrier for the free movement of goods. “Next week I intend to sign a protocol on economic cooperation with Hoxhaj (Kosovo’s Foreign Minister). The goal is to create bigger space in a common market including animal based products, without artificial barriers, as the latest one which was only meant for commercial reasons,” said Panariti.
Kosovo food safety authorities initially said that milk produced by local plants was safe and met all EU standard but later admitted that milk circulating all over the region had aflatoxin levels above the EU standard.
Milk declared safe
The National Food Authority confirmed this week most samples tested in Italy’s Lombardy and Emilia Romagna Experimental Zootechnic Institute had aflatoxin levels below the EU limit but there were also samples whose aflatoxin level was slightly higher than the EU limit but seven to eight times below the limit in the United States, Canada and other developed countries.
“Test results show that the presence of aflatoxin in Albanian milk products is at almost the same levels compared to milk produced in neighbouring and regional countries. These results reconfirm the fact that the increased presence of aflatoxin in milk in all regional countries has a seasonal character and it is believed that the mycotoxin is a result of the animal feed.”
The National Food Authority and the Food Safety and Veterinary Institute take full responsibility in guaranteeing the public that the use of milk does not pose any danger to the health and safety of consumers. Both the Authority and the Institute have lifted the temporary ban on the trade of seized milk while the suspension on milk products destined for exports in countries which respect EU aflatoxin norms remains in force.
Kosovo authorities
Kosovo food safety authorities insist one of the banned Albanian milk brands has aflatoxin levels above the EU limit.
“No plant is banned to export to Kosovo, but they should undergo tests and allowed to enter only if they meet conditions. In the past few days there have been no imports from these milk processing plants, but if they want to export they will undergo detailed tests,” Lamir Thaci, a spokesman for the Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency was quoted as saying by Kosovo’s daily Zeri.
Data by Kosovo’s Customs Office shows Albania’s Primalat and Fast milk plants exported 231,000 litres of milk to Kosovo in 2012, accounting for only a negligible 2 percent of Kosovo’s total milk imports estimated at 17.2 million litres, worth 11.3 million euros. Slovenian companies dominate the Kosovo milk market followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
On Wednesday, the Kosovo Food Agency confirmed the milk samples had tested posited for aflatoxin announcing that “the plants whose samples had tested positive will not be banned to export to Kosovo but all milk loads will undergo detailed check-ups in border crossing points and will be allowed to enter Kosovo only when they meet safety standards.”
Following the alarm raised by Kosovo food authorities on February 23, the Albanian Food Authority confirmed the high level of aflatoxin in the two milk brands, demanding their withdrawal from the market until final tests results are announced.”We want to clarify the public that different countries allow different levels of aflatoxin. I want to bring the example of the United States where the allowed aflatoxin level is ten times higher than in the EU. And results of the tests show of a rate far lower than that allowed in the United States,” said Artan Gjergji, the head of the Albanian National Food Authority.
The European Union sets a limit of 0.050 ֧/kg (microgram per kilogram) for aflatoxin M1 in milk and milk products while the United States food safety regulations include a limit of 0.5 ֧/kg. Immediately after the announcement by the Kosovo Food Agency, the Albanian companies described the test results as intentional, and aimed at favouring local Kosovo companies arguing that their plants produce milk in the highest standards.
Few days ago, the Kosovo Food and Veterinary Agency ordered the withdrawal of milk produced by Albania’s Fast Milk and Primalat, Croatia’s Dukat, and two Bosnian dairies, Meggle and Zott.
Primilat administrators in Albania claim the damage caused by the Kosovo authorities decision has caused them 1 million euro in damage from the withdrawal of the milk and the suspension of work for two weeks.
Trade disputes with Kosovo
Last year, both Albania and Kosovo were involved in trade disputes over reference prices on cement and potato exports. In August 2012, the Kosovo government decided to lift the 35 percent reference prices on imported cement after fierce reaction by both the business community in Albania and Kosovo during its 50 days in force. Earlier in 2012, Albania introduced reference prices on Kosovo potatoes which Kosovo considered as unacceptable under the CEFTA agreement and warned of imposing reciprocity measures. However, in April 2012 reference prices for Kosovo potatoes were restored to the previous levels.
Albanian and Kosovo officials have described current customs procedures between the two countries as a trade barrier and proposed their simplification or removal.
“The loss of the two countries from the removal of customs duties will be negligible compared to the benefits of our economies and businesses,” Kosovo politician and businessman Behgjet Pacolli has earlier announced. Kosovo businesses had previously complained about prolonged customs procedures delaying the free movement of goods, calling for their simplification and setting up joint customs control teams.
Albania’s trade exchanges with Kosovo have considerably increased in the past few years after the construction of the Highway of Nation linking the two countries in the shortest possible way despite ongoing trade barriers and disputes over reference prices, but yet remain below their potential. Data from Albania’s state Institute of Statistics, INSTAT, show Albania’s exports to neighbouring Kosovo climbed to 17.4 billion lek (Euro 122 million) in 2012, up 18.5 percent compared to 2011. Compared to 2009 when Albania finished its part of the Durres-Kukes highway, exports to Kosovo have more than doubled. Metals and minerals account for around 70 percent of Albania’s exports to neighbouring Kosovo which ranked the second most important destination of Albanian exports in 2011 and the third top destination in 2012 after Italy and Spain.
Serbia raises Aflatoxin limit tenfold
Serbia has raised the maximum permitted concentration of aflatoxins in milk to 0.5 micrograms per kilo from 0.05 micrograms, a tenfold increase. Goran Knezevic, the Agriculture Minister, said the government had received assurances from the Health Ministry, the Military Medical Academy, VMA, and the Batut Institute of Public Health that the new maximum level presented no risk.
Aflatoxins are mycotoxins of major concern to the dairy industry. Most mycotoxins are found in grain, usually grown in a drought, although they may contaminate pasture grass and occasionally hay. At high enough exposure levels, aflatoxins can cause acute toxicity, and potentially death, in mammals, birds and fish, as well as in humans. The liver is the principal organ affected, but high levels of aflatoxin have also been found in the lungs, kidneys, brains and hearts of individuals dying of acute aflatoxicosis.
