North Sumatra Quarantine Authority Destroys Five Tonnes of Vietnamese Mangoes
Medan — The North Sumatra Office of the Large Animal, Fish, and Plant Quarantine Authority destroyed five tonnes of mangoes imported from Vietnam after they failed to meet quarantine requirements and posed health and food safety risks.
“The commodities did not meet quarantine requirements, so they could not be guaranteed in terms of health and food safety aspects,” stated N. Prayatno Ginting, Head of Quarantine for North Sumatra, in a statement received in Medan on Wednesday.
Prayatno explained that the destruction process was carried out by placing the entire contaminated material into a specially designated pit, which was then sprayed with decomposing liquid or effective microorganisms 4 (EM4) as a decomposer.
Following the decomposition process, all the commodities were incinerated and buried with soil to ensure complete destruction in accordance with biosecurity standards.
“The imported mangoes were discovered being transported in a single yellow canter truck, which was intercepted by the Intelligence Detachment of Kodam I/Bukit Barisan in the Rantau Utara area, Labuhanbatu,” he said.
In addition, the North Sumatra Quarantine Authority also destroyed various types of fruits and vegetables from Malaysia, which were passenger baggage items lacking proper quarantine documentation at the International Ferry Terminal in Teluk Nibung, Tanjungbalai City on Tuesday (17 March).
“We are committed to continuously enhancing surveillance at official entry points and unofficial routes, in order to prevent the growing smuggling of food commodities ahead of Lebaran,” Prayatno said.
The office expressed appreciation for the intelligence coordination with the Indonesian military (TNI) and other agencies in implementing quarantine measures. This cooperation, he noted, is the key to protecting biological sovereignty and public health from external threats.
“We urge the community to also support these efforts, so that the Idul Fitri celebration remains secure, safe and comfortable,” he concluded.