Moroccan Officials: Tomato and Pepper Disease Poses No Health Risk to Consumers

"As part of the continuous national phytosanitary monitoring and follow-up program, the services of the National Office of Sanitary Safety of Food Products have detected the presence of a plant disease affecting tomatoes in certain agricultural holdings. This plant disease, which only concerns tomatoes and peppers, does not present any danger to human and animal health. Similarly, the consumption of these plant products has no impact on the health of the consumer," specifies the ONSSA in a press release.

According to the information available to the office, it is not only Morocco that is affected by this plant disease. It is also present in Europe, America and Asia since 2014. Nevertheless, to limit its effects, ONSSA has proceeded to raise awareness among professionals in the sector, showing them the need to respect biosecurity measures. These are the preventive measures to be put in place at the level of agricultural holdings and nurseries to protect the products against this plant disease as well as the measures to be applied in case of confirmation of its presence.

Investigations are underway to determine the traceability of the seeds used and which are "at the origin of the introduction of this plant disease in the affected agricultural holdings," it is also specified.