Vice Minister of Agriculture Azat Sultanov named the safest period for watermelon consumption. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
According to him, most watermelons that go on early sale are grown in greenhouses or imported from abroad. "The safe period for watermelon consumption in our country is from late July to September. At this time, watermelons ripen naturally, without excessive fertilizers and various additives. Therefore, right now, especially for children, we do not recommend eating watermelons," Sultanov said at a briefing in the government.
He noted that all imported products are subject to mandatory phytosanitary control. However, the sanitary and epidemiological safety of the product is also important. "In some cases, various chemicals may be used excessively during cultivation. In such cases, their residues pose a threat to human health. Therefore, we are working jointly with the sanitary and epidemiological service in this direction," the Vice Minister added.