Ministry of Agriculture sends a request to Kazakhstan regarding “infected tomatoes”

The situation with 4 tons of tomatoes sent to Kazakhstan and returned to Uzbekistan due to a “dangerous virus” will be studied. The Ministry of Agriculture of Uzbekistan reported that it had sent a request to Kazakhstan to clarify the situation.

It is noted that an urgent study has been carried out to clarify the situation. It was established that the product was grown in the Kibray district (Tashkent region); the entrepreneur who delivered it to Kazakhstan claims that the goods were not returned to Uzbekistan.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, before exporting fruits and vegetables, an internal phytosanitary certificate is issued. One of the main requirements for the export of tomatoes is the absence of harmful organisms in the product, including the “brown crinkle virus of tomato fruits”.

According to the message, a sample was also taken from the tomatoes sent to Kazakhstan and examined using the PCR method in the laboratory in accordance with the relevant regulations. According to the results of the examination, the virus was not detected in tomatoes.

For this reason, a request was sent to our Kazakh colleagues about the methodology for conducting laboratory examinations, analysis of primers, videos and photos of the analyzes performed.

It was also revealed during the inspection that the loaded product was grown in different fields and received from different farms. To study the situation on the spot, a working group was formed and sent to the Kibray district, Tashkent region.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, “Tomato brown wrinkle virus” (ToBRFV) is safe for humans and does not have a negative effect on the body even when eating infected tomatoes.