Sulaymaniyah
Kalar authorities seize 26 tons of unfit produce in Alwa market
KALAR – Authorities in Kalar, part of Sulaymaniyah’s Garmian Administration, seized 26 tons of unfit produce in Alwa market on Saturday, including 25 tons of potatoes and one ton of lemons, an agricultural official said.
Mohammed Kweikha Zand, head of the Garmian Agricultural Quality Control Directorate, told 964media that the confiscated produce was deemed unsuitable for consumption. He noted that 246 tons of fruits and vegetables have been seized so far in 2025, with most of the items consisting of potatoes, followed by oranges, onions, tomatoes, lemons, watermelons, and lettuce.
Zand explained that much of the produce was either imported from Iran without proper inspection at border crossings or smuggled into the country. To safeguard public health, the agricultural quality control unit at Alwa market operates around the clock to inspect and remove unfit produce.
This seizure follows a series of recent actions in Kalar. Last week, food safety officials destroyed roughly 100 tons of potatoes and onions at Alwa market after laboratory tests declared the produce unfit for consumption. On Feb. 8, authorities confiscated and destroyed seven tons of spoiled tomatoes imported from southern Iraq. The previous day, quality control officials seized nearly 12 tons of spoiled oranges after tests confirmed the fruit was unsafe.
