The Minister of Agriculture, Armend Muja, said on Sunday that authorities in Kosovo have identified cases where dairy products sold on the market do not accurately reflect their composition, amid suspicions of the use of powdered milk and palm oil as substitutes for fresh milk and animal fats.
In a press conference with representatives of the Food and Veterinary Agency (AUV), Muja said that the dairy sector is facing "external pressures," citing increased imports of powdered milk and palm oil, which he said is directly affecting local farmers.
"The dairy sector is facing two pressures... the trend to replace fresh milk with powdered milk and the trend to replace animal fats with vegetable fats, with palm oil," said Muja.
According to him, Customs data and AUV verifications show an increase in imports of powdered milk and palm oil fractions used in the milk processing industry, he writes. REL.
The debate over the dairy sector intensified after Radio Free Europe reported that around 30 percent of domestic milk is going unsold, while farmers and processors blame imports and the use of substitute products for market disruptions.
Muja said that during the first week of controls, 118 samples were taken at the border and 52 samples in the local market, while laboratory analyses identified cases of non-compliance.
"Although the products may be presented as containing milk, after analysis they result in a different composition," he said.
According to the minister, a portion of the imported cargo has been temporarily stopped at the border and some of it has been returned due to non-compliance with standards and legislation in force.
He said that the goal of the new measures is to guarantee food safety and increase transparency for consumers.
"The consumer has the right to know what they are buying and what they are eating," said Muja.
The Minister announced that the Government will publish two new decisions for the dairy sector. One foresees a more precise classification of dairy products, while the other establishes a separate production system for products containing milk powder and palm oil.
According to him, traditional names such as "milk", "cheese", "cottage cheese" or "cream" will only be used for products made from animal fats.
"The moment [other ingredients] are added, these traditional names no longer apply," Muja said.
He added that economic operators using palm oil and powdered milk will have to reapply for special licenses and their products will not be able to be marketed under traditional dairy product names.
According to Muja, these decisions suspend the use of palm oil and powdered milk in the processing of dairy products until a new regulatory framework is created by the FVA.
The conference was held a few days after farmers protested by throwing milk into the river, as a sign of dissatisfaction with the drop in the collection price and difficulties in the market.
