Maaleht wrote that PTA does not use the opportunity to verify the origin of strawberries in the laboratory. They only check documents. This allows foreign strawberries to be sold as Estonian ones.
Seven years ago, a Maaleht investigation showed that foreign strawberries were being sold as Estonian ones. In 2022, a database was created, costing €220,000. Estonia does not use this database.
A German laboratory has a method to determine the origin of strawberries. Estonian strawberry samples are now in this laboratory's database. Lab manager Liina Kruus said Estonian strawberries can be distinguished from those from Poland, Spain, and Greece.
Maaleht asked PTA why they do not use this method. PTA did not answer their questions.
PTA specialist Marika Arula said they receive a few tips each year about the origin of strawberries. However, officials still only check documents. Arula said document checks are faster and easier.
Maaleht wrote that although they exposed the fraud seven years ago and the database exists, PTA still only checks papers.
PTA did not tell Maaleht how much strawberry analysis in the laboratory would cost. Maaleht believes PTA doesn't even know where it could be done.