Germany Bans Moroccan Peppers Over Dangerous Pesticide Levels

The presence of pesticides in Moroccan peppers exceeds the maximum limit approved by the European Union in 2019 by more than 1,233%, reports the Spanish horticultural newspaper Horto Info. The presence of this substance in the identified lots of peppers is equivalent to 0.4 mg/kg, which is above 0.03 mg/kg, the level set by the EU.

This pesticide is methiocarb. It is a phytosanitary chemical product used in pest control products against thrips on crops such as pepper, tomato, cucumber and zucchini, etc. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), methiocarb is highly dangerous to human health and poses risks to birds, mammals and crops.

In 2020, an investigation also revealed that "Morocco would be among the 10 main destinations of European countries exporting toxic pesticides banned in the EU."