Hygiene Requirements for the Primary Production of Products of Plant Origin and Direct Supply in Small Quantities to a Final Consumer

Issued pursuant to
Section 8, Paragraph ten of the Law
On the Supervision of the Handling of Food

1. The Regulation prescribes hygiene requirements for the primary production of products of plant origin and direct supply of products of primary production in small quantities to a final consumer or retail undertaking, which directly supply the final consumer, and also the amount of the abovementioned supply.

2. The Regulation shall apply to a natural person who, in accordance with the laws and regulations governing the field of taxes, need not register economic activity and who is a producer of cultivated products produced by him or her or a gatherer of wild berries, fruit, nuts, mushrooms and plants and collector of birch and maple sap (hereinafter - the product producer) in accordance with the requirements of Article 1(1)(a) of Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the hygiene of foodstuffs (hereinafter - European Parliament and Council Regulation No 852/2004).

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3. The amount of the products of plant origin that the product producer may supply directly in a calendar year is specified in the Annex to this Regulation.

3.¹ In accordance with Article 4(4) of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 of 7 June 2011 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 in respect of the fruit and vegetables and processed fruit and vegetables sectors, marketing standards shall not be applied to the products which are sold by the product producer himself or herself to the final consumer on the market and through street vending.

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4. The product producer shall perform the accounting of the amount of directly supplied products in a calendar year, documenting information on the name of the product, place where it was obtained, the amount of the product sold in kilograms (each day and in total per calendar year), the date when the product is sold and the place of sale, and also shall ensure the accounting register at the place where the products are distributed, and shall present such register upon request of the official of the Food and Veterinary Service (hereinafter - the Service).

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5. A retail food undertaking, upon accepting products for distribution, shall register information on the name of the product, amount delivered, place where it was obtained, date of supply, and also the given name, surname, personal identity number, and address of the product producer.

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6. The observance of the requirements of this Regulation shall be controlled by the Service at the place of distribution of products.

7. A producer of products of cultivated plant origin:

7.1. shall keep equipment, containers and boxes clean and, if necessary, clean and disinfect them;

7.2. shall ensure the cleanliness of the products of cultivated plant origin during gathering, storage and transportation;

7.3. shall not allow contamination resulting from animals and pests of products of cultivated plant origin during gathering, storage and transportation;

7.4. shall ensure the correct use of plant protection products and biocides;

7.5. shall store and deal with waste and hazardous substances in such a way, as not to allow contamination of products of cultivated plant origin.

8. Wild berries, fruit, nuts, mushrooms and plants shall be gathered in clean packaging and protected from pollution during gathering, storage and transportation in accordance with Article 1 of Council Regulation (EEC) No 315/93 of 8 February 1993 laying down Community procedures for contaminants in food and Article 2, Clause 1, Sub-clause "f" of European Parliament and Council Regulation No 852/2004.

9. Birch and maple sap within the meaning of this Regulation is fresh unpasteurised sap which may have added raisins, pieces of plants, various spices, sugar and honey.

10. Birch and maple sap shall be sold in a buyer's containers or - at the request of the buyer _ in disposable packaging complying with regulatory enactments regarding the mandatory harmlessness requirements for materials and objects that come into contact with food.

11. The following indications shall be at the point of sale of non-prepacked birch and maple sap:

11.1. "Bērzu sula" [Birch sap] or "Kļavu sula" [Maple sap];

11.2. the expiry date "Izlietot līdz..." [Use by...] for the birch and maple sap;

11.3. the given name, surname, and address of the product producer.

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12. Birch and maple sap shall be packed in disposable packaging or in clean glass containers complying with regulatory enactments regarding the mandatory harmlessness requirements for materials and objects that come into contact with food.

13. The trade name "Bērzu sula" or "Kļavu sula", added ingredients (if any), volume, the expiry date "Izlietot līdz..." (for fresh birch or maple sap) or "Ieteicams līdz..." [Best before...] (for fermented birch or maple sap), storage instructions, the given name, surname, and address of the product producer shall be indicated on the label of prepacked birch and maple sap. The trade name of fermented birch and maple sap shall have an additional indication "raudzēta" [fermented].

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14. It is prohibited to gather wild berries, fruit, nuts, mushrooms, plants, birch and maple sap in territories situated in the close vicinity of sources of contamination (for example, in protection zones along streets, motorways, railways, all types of sanitary protection zones, in forests in the administrative territory of cities) and may create a risk of food contamination.

Prime Minister V. Dombrovskis

Minister for Agriculture J. Dūklavs

Annex
Cabinet Regulation No. 499
1 June 2010

Amount of Products of Plant Origin that the Product Producer may Supply Directly in a Calendar Year

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Translation © 2020 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)