The Rural Affairs and Environment Ministry has ordered the Pitkali Crates Limited management to improve the cleaning process of the boxes issued by the vegetable market to be used by farmers in a month’s time.
In a statement, the ministry explained that the company is run by several groups. Pitkali Crates Ltd has a management agreement with the government that entitles it to a percentage of the volume of produce sold at the market in return for the boxes being cleaned.
Rural Affairs and Environment Minister George Pullicino visited the vegetable market complex that includes the facility run by the Pitkali Crates Ltd. In the last few months, several complaints reached the ministry claiming that the boxes, that should have been cleaned, were in fact soiled.
An inspection carried out by Agriculture Department officials revealed that 70 out of a hundred sample boxes were dirty. “This is not the first time the company was warned to clean the crates properly,” the ministry declared. Pitkali Crates Ltd was first made aware of the matter on 8 June 2005. Following a report published in the media, the company was once again called on by the Agriculture Department to draw up a report on its operations.
This report has not yet been presented to the department.
During the visit, the ministry officials asked to see the company log book that contains the number of inspections carried out by the management. This book was not handed over and Minister Pullicino demanded a meeting with the company directors.
The Agriculture Director sent a letter to the Pitkali Crates Ltd management, demanding they begin to log the inspections carried out and make sure the log book is accessible to the vegetable market management.
In the meantime, the Agriculture Director also warned the Pitkali Crates Ltd that an inspection of the cleaning of the boxes will be carried out within a month. This is when the final assessment will be carried out.
Following this, a decision will be taken regarding the current arrangement between the government and the Pitkali Crates Ltd.