Hortyfruta (the Andalucían Fruit and Vegetable Interprofessional Organisation) is seeking legal action following claims made on a Dutch television channel by Friends of the Earth in the Netherlands (Milieu Defensie) that tomatoes grown in the Spanish region of Almería contain high levels of pesticide residues.
According to a statement made by Hortyfruta, the organisation has initiated an urgent plan of action to counteract the allegations broadcast by NCRV on TV Netwerk, which it says discredited Spanish tomatoes by claiming they contain 3.2 times more pesticide residues than Dutch-grown tomatoes.
“This type of statement is incorrect, tendentious, creates panic among the general public and is based on a loose and mistaken interpretation of government data,” Hortyfruta explained in the statement.
“Hortyfruta will not rest until these comments are clarified and those involved explain how they came to the conclusion that Spanish tomatoes contain 3.2 times more poison than Dutch tomatoes; how they define “poison”; and what justification they have to claim that Spanish products pose a risk to children.”
Hortyfruta said it has already contacted the Dutch embassy in Spain to demand urgent steps be taken, and will shortly be in touch with Spanish supermarket chain Caprabo, which was also implicated in the programme.
