‘Hard evidence’ backs allegations of abuse in potato exports to Holland
Karl Stagno-Navarra
Allegations of illicit export of winter potatoes to the Netherlands in place of spring crop potatoes are reportedly backed by “hard evidence”, the secretary of the Farmers Association, Louie Naudi told MaltaToday.
Naudi stressed that although officials from the rural affairs ministry have initiated investigations into the allegations, “the matter required urgency as the livelihood of around 400 farmers is at stake.”
The allegations were raised by veteran exporter Raymond Abdilla of Safi, who filed a judicial protest against fellow villagers Raphael and Catherine Scerri, both directors of Quality Fruit & Veg Limited.
Abdilla asked the court to stop Scerri from exporting winter crops and declaring them as spring crops. “This malpractice causes untold damage to farmers as well as to the amounts of potatoes that could be exported,” Abdilla said, adding that “this illegal trading should be condemned and stopped with immediate effect to ensure that the damage caused is contained, and moreover, never repeated as it prejudices the reputation of the local potato industry, presently the only crop Malta exports.”
Abdilla holds an exclusive license agreement from Agrico BV of the Netherlands that produces seeds for the ‘Sante’ crop, and distributes it to framers to grow under certification of stringent conditions such as the GlobalGAP protocol.
Once the crop is ripe and fit for export, it is sent from Malta to the Netherlands under exclusive contract with Blankedaal Trade BV.
However, a few days ago, Raphael Scerri allegedly exported Maltese grown potatoes and advertised them as ‘Sante’ crop when in fact they were not.
Abdilla insisted that the advertisements by Scerri are a scam as they do not hold a GlobalGAP certification.
Speaking to MaltaToday, Louie Naudi said that given the existence of “hard evidence” on the irregularity, the issue now is on how much damage has been caused.
Meanwhile, the matter has also been raised by the Dutch minister for agriculture Gerda Verburg, who received the first sack of Maltese spring crop potatoes, keeping a 30-year old tradition. Holland is the only customer of Malta spring crop potatoes, as the Dutch love floury potatoes with a good flavour.
Maltese-certified potatoes command considerably more money in Holland compared to the waxy varieties from Cyprus, Egypt and Israel for which at least 25% is paid.
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