AVA lifts suspension on imports of fruits and vegetables from Ehime

The Japanese exporter of the contaminated Perilla Leaf sample had wrongly listed its origin to be Ehime Prefecture, said MAFF.

The suspension on Ehime Prefecture was imposed on 24 Mar 2011 after AVA detected radioactive contaminants from a sample of Perilla Leaf that was listed as imported from Ehime by the Japanese exporter.

According to AVA, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan carried out investigations and had since ascertained that the Perilla Leaf sample was from Fukushima Prefecture.

In addition, the MAFF and the Ehime Prefectural Authority announced that other Perilla Leaf sampled from Ehime Prefecture had been tested and no radioactive contaminants were detected. In view of these developments, AVA is lifting the suspension of fruits and vegetables from Ehime Prefecture with immediate effect.

AVA is working with the Japanese Authorities on a Certificate of Origin to accompany products shipped to Singapore to avoid such irregularities in future.