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And the State Food and Veterinary Service (SFVS) recently announced that it will control fish and seafood traders even more strictly, as the number of violations is not decreasing.
The first bruises appeared
At the Šilutė market, first of all, elderly people caught the eye, who are already offering blueberries to buyers. “Yes, there are already blueberries in the forest,” says the first spokeswoman. She is seconded by Danutė, a bearded man who sells blue berries near her. For half a liter of these products, the senior asks for 4 euros.
According to the woman, this year there are not as many of these berries as last year, only in holes, and also, they are just beginning to ripen, they are quite small and dry. The merchant brings the first berries to the market and thus contributes in some way to the pension.
Although the supply of blueberries has only just started, the people of Šilutė who collect and sell them do not expect these berries to help them contribute more to their income this year. According to them, apparently not that year.
Strawberries at the end of their ripening season are also available on the market and currently cost between 2 and 3 euros per kilo. There are also wild strawberries worth € 3 per glass.
Does the squirrel feed on squirrels?
Squirrels have been feeding forest mushrooms for some time, a mushroom that is used for everything and everything: sauces, fillings, soups. However, there aren’t many of these cuties, often referred to as “playful” shoppers, this year. According to the usual mushroom merchant Vytautas from the village of Ramučiai, it is good where we are not.
The man confirmed that even his jaw had a jaw when he saw on television that squirrel traders in Vilnius were asking for between 14 and 16 euros a liter. Mushroom pickers sell these products in Šilutė for 5-6 euros per liter. The man said that when he goes to the forest twice a day, he collects 8 to 9 liters of squirrels and expects to see other types of mushrooms under the moss.
Only time will tell if this year will be a mushroom year. Meanwhile, last year’s dried boletus, which, according to sellers, has a large number of valuable ingredients and can also be used to make a variety of dishes, is also available in the market.
Most of the interviewed traders of vegetables, fruits or forest products said that they sell between 70 and 100 euros a week selling the products they bring.
Who do not work, do not eat
At the Šilutė market you can find everything: fresh cucumbers from farmers, which cost 1.2 euros per kilogram, potatoes 1.3–0.8 euros per kilogram, and pea pods for 300 g per euro. There is also mint, fresh beet with leaves, salad – 0.5 euros each.
And beekeepers are already luring passersby with various types of honey: older, fresher, and, according to them, yesterday. They also do not shy away from sharing with buyers and advising, advising on the benefits of royal jelly, wax, bee tar, pollen, bread or honey dripping honeycomb, which can also be purchased here. By the way, a pint of honey costs about 4 euros in the market, and 2 ml of royal jelly costs 15 euros.
An elderly man of honorable age who passed by pointing out merchants selling mushrooms and berries said that hard-working people would not perish. In other words, as difficult as it is, it is really possible to get a euro to survive the summer if you make a mistake and go to the forest earlier.
SFVS promises to tune controls
However, the SFVS reports that it has carried out inspections at more than 120 fish or fishery product outlets. During the inspections, the market was dominated by trade in frozen, thawed (thawed), smoked, salted and dried fish products, with less trade in live fish. The inspections focused on food traders’ compliance with food safety and hygiene requirements, as well as ensuring product traceability and proper labeling. Violations were detected in more than half of the cases (55.37%).
“With the intensification of the fish trade, violations are also increasing. We encourage merchants to clean their outlets and comply with requirements. We want consumers to buy only high-quality and safe seafood, so we will provide even more attention to the control of the points of sale. And we urge buyers to be demanding and not buy perishable products, noting obvious violations of storage and hygiene conditions, to notify the SFVS. We recommend that you always ask for a receipt, which will allow you identify the seller and the place of sale, ”said SFVS Director Mantas Staškevičius.
Among the most common violations is improper storage of frozen fish. Often times, frozen fish is not packed in the manufacturer’s packaging, but is sold unpackaged and stored under conditions not specified by the manufacturer. The specialists also found violations in the labeling and traceability of fishery products.
Expired equipment for fish products found in some places when the refrigeration equipment was frozen, worn out. Not all traders provided documentation for health exams and hygiene skills courses. The marketing of almost 725 kg of dangerous fishery products was banned. They will also be subject to administrative responsibility for the infractions detected.
