MAPUSA
About 800 kgs of chemically ripened bananas worth about Rs 65,000 were seized from a wholesale shop at the Mapusa sub yard on Wednesday.
The FDA conducted a surveillance drive at the Mapusa sub yard to check for artificial ripening of fruits and during the check, a wholesale shop was found to have stocked about 800 kgs of chemically ripened bananas. Earlier, another wholesaler was also caught with artificially ripened bananas.
The chemical liquid ethaphone which was used for ripening was seized from the shop and the banana stock sprayed with chemicals was destroyed with the help of the chief officer of Mapusa Municipal Council.
The banana stock destroyed was worth approximately Rs 65,000.
In addition, fruits samples were picked up and sent to the food laboratory. North Goa Administrative officer Richard Noronha along with FDA officer Rajaram Patil, Madhav Kavlekar, Pritam Param and Sonal Govekar carried out the campaign.
