Ukraine's Prosecutor General's Office has reported that wheat and corn have been illegally grown for many years in the Chornobyl disaster area. Products from radioactively contaminated areas could have entered the Ukrainian food chain.
Investigation by the Prosecutor General's Office
The Prosecutor General's Office of Ukraine has established the facts of illegal cultivation of crops in the exclusion zone of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. According to the agency, wheat and corn have been grown on more than 190 hectares of land without the appropriate permits for several years.
The investigation does not specify who exactly organised these works, nor does it provide information on the volume of the harvested crop. All that is known is that the produce could have been contaminated with radiation, as the plots are located in an area with high levels of contamination.
Possible health risks
The Prosecutor General's Office warns of the danger of consuming products made from grain grown in the Chornobyl zone. Radioactive contamination can pose a serious threat to public health.
According to the agency, products made from such wheat could theoretically get on the shelves of Ukrainian stores. It is not yet clear which markets these products were supplied to.
The extent of illegal cultivation
These are three separate plots with a total area of over 190 hectares. The cultivation was carried out without special permits and control of the relevant authorities. Details on the volume of harvest and further movement of products remain unknown. The Prosecutor General's Office continues to investigate the incident.
Context.
Growing crops in the exclusion zone is prohibited due to the high level of radioactive contamination. Such cases pose a threat to the safety of the food chain in Ukraine.
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