Contraband oranges are mostly infected by Mediterranean fruit fly and pose health hazard to consumers, said Abolqasem Hassanpour, an official with the Ministry of Agriculture, adding that these oranges are mostly smuggled from Mediterranean countries, particularly Egypt. According to the official, Iran’s demand for fruit can be easily met by domestic production and there is no need for legal or illegal imports. He called on related state bodies to prevent the distribution and sales of contraband fruits in the domestic market, IRNA reported.
