ABAKAN, August 13 (RIA Novosti) – Vegetables grown in Siberian hothouses and supplied to local markets were grown in toxic soil, local authorities said Tuesday.
Arsenic, nitrate and fluoride exceeding levels considered safe for human consumption have been found in soil taken from land used by companies to grow vegetables in the Russian republic of Khakassia in Siberia, the region’s agricultural watchdog said.
“If substances are in the soil, that means they are also in the vegetables,” the local environment ministry cited a watchdog spokesperson as saying in a statement posted on its website Monday.
The companies grew vegetables for sale in local markets on this land until they were shut down over environmental safety concerns earlier this year, the ministry said.
The toxic produce was labeled as coming from Bishkek, the capital of the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, the ministry said.
The local environment minister has said all vegetable growers in the region will undergo spot-checks in 2014.
