Legal regulation of direct sales of milk products in the green market

On 8th October in premises of Food and Veterinary Agency was presented the analysis on” Legal regulation of direct sales of milk products in the green market” prepared by Kosovo Milk Producer Association (KAMP) Kosovo Dairy Association (KPDA )and supported by Solidar Suisse Kosovo Office. The panelists of the event will be Valdet Gjinovci (FVA), Naser Bajraktari (KAMP), Ramadan Memaj (KPDA) and Dr. Christoph Baumann (the consultant of KAMP/KDPA).

Presented documents aimed to inform audience about current situation of direct sales of milk products and to offer solutions. Furthermore, these documents were addressed to the government of Kosovo and the relevant public and municipal authorities of Kosovo that deal with food safety. The purpose is to underline the urgent need to implement a common regulatory framework for all dairy producers and processors in Kosovo. Until now, the uncontrolled, directly marketed products unfairly rival the products sold in the local regular markets, as the authorities do not apply yet the same rules in terms of minimum quality and hygienic standards. The direct marketing of dairy products such as on green markets is – until now – a serious threat to the peoples’ health.

Nevertheless, there are reasons for initiating changes. The policy paper proves that government does not apply adequate policies to implement the Kosovo Law No. 03/L-016 on Food. The major gaps are:

Regulation No.11/2011: allows the direct sale of raw milk in small amounts; there is no directive that regulates these sales.
No instruction on direct marketing of dairy products that defines the hygiene measures specifically at the production and sales of dairy products
AUV does not control the raw milk of all producers but only of farmers that sell to licensed dairies.
No implementation of No. 2005/01; licensing a dairy seems to be voluntary as almost no producer that sells on green markets is registered.
KAMP and KDPA are convinced that the government must regulate the direct marketing such as on green markets. Both policy options – to let it as it is or to forbid sales on the green market – are not appropriate for us. The policy option for a state with good governance must be ‘regulating the direct marketing’. Therefore, KAMP/KDPA recommend and demand to close the legal gaps and to enable AUV and its regional food inspectorates to implement adequately the Kosovo Law on Food.
The similar meetings and discussions will be organized with interviewed municipalities, respective ministries and civil society groups.