Pre-New Year Business Inspections Tighten Up
The Istanbul Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry recently carried out a series of rigorous inspections of various businesses in preparation for the New Year. This included bakeries, markets, restaurants, as well as businesses that sell alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. A total of 730 inspectors were involved in these inspections, resulting in penal action being taken against businesses that were found to be in violation of hygiene conditions.
During the inspection in Kadıköy, the Provincial Director, Ahmet Yavuz Karaca, closed down one workplace due to non-compliance with hygiene standards. Three other businesses were given time to rectify the identified deficiencies.
Provincial Director Ahmet Yavuz Karaca expressed his dismay when he encountered difficulty walking through garbage during one of the inspections. He emphasized the importance of maintaining proper hygiene standards, stating, “The front part is very nice and tinsel, but the back side.” Karaca emphasized that the inspections carried out were part of efforts to ensure food safety and a reliable food supply to the public.
As part of the inspections, around 225,000 people have been inspected, resulting in the detection of deficiencies in 5,550 businesses. Administrative fines totaling approximately 142 million were imposed on the businesses found to have failed to meet hygiene standards. Furthermore, production was suspended in some businesses due to potential health hazards or problems within their production lines.
Karaca discussed the results of the inspections, noting that multiple businesses had been issued penalties for failing to comply with hygiene rules. He indicated that the penalties ranged from 15,000 to 6.6 million, depending on the severity of the violations. The Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry is maintaining its vigilance in ensuring that businesses adhere to these critical standards for the well-being of the public.
