Summary of Key Points
Some purchasers in Kangbao County, Hebei, in an attempt to reduce long-distance transportation losses and save costs, illegally soaked cabbages in formaldehyde solution before sending them to Suqian, Jiangsu. This was exposed through online videos, sparking public outrage. In this incident, local farmers in Kangbao were innocently affected, with their livelihoods impacted. The issue stems from the high costs of cold-chain transportation and the profit-driven behavior of the merchants. This isn't the first time such "formaldehyde preservation" practices have occurred; despite repeated bans, they continue. The involved actions have violated food safety laws and may result in criminal penalties.
Farmers Cry Out for Justice: Our Cabbages Are Fine; It's the Heartless Merchants Who Ruined Our Reputation
Kangbao County is a region known for producing out-of-season vegetables, with cabbages being a "golden brand" due to their high quality—grown at an altitude of 1,400 meters with ample sunlight and large temperature differences. The older generation of farmers never used rapid growth methods. Last year, the county's vegetable exports exceeded 260,000 tons, with Tunken Town accounting for 40% of that amount. However, in this case, the formaldehyde was used by the purchasers secretly, with no involvement from the farmers:
- Farmers sell their crops and then have no control over subsequent transportation; the soaking in formaldehyde was done by hired workers.
- Locally sold cabbages are picked and sold on the same day, so preservation is not necessary, ensuring they are safe and reliable.
- After the incident, farmers faced dire consequences: upon hearing about the issue, many customers stopped buying cabbages, leaving the remaining crops to rot in the fields, ruining a year's worth of hard work.
The local party secretary, Lao Yuan, urgently issued a statement clarifying that the involved merchants have been apprehended, and a thorough investigation is underway to ensure that the livelihoods of tens of thousands of farmers are not ruined.
Why Use Formaldehyde? The Math Makes It Clear: The Savings Outweight the Risks
Merchants take the risk of using formaldehyde because the cost-benefit analysis favors them:
- High costs of cold-chain transportation: The freight from Kangbao to Suqian is 4,500 yuan for refrigerated trucks, compared to just 2,000-2,500 yuan for regular trucks, saving 2,000 yuan per trip.
- Low cost of formaldehyde: A bucket of industrial formaldehyde, costing just a few dozen yuan, can preserve 30,000 pounds of cabbages, which is much cheaper than using the cold chain.
- High losses without formaldehyde: In summer, cabbages contain a lot of moisture, and without proper preservation, they will rot during long-distance transportation, resulting in significant losses for merchants.
The proper preservation process involves cutting the cabbages, storing them in a constant-temperature warehouse, and then transporting them covered in blankets to maintain freshness. This additional step increases the cost by 6000 yuan per 500 grams (an extra 0.1 yuan per pound). Unscrupulous merchants skip these steps to save money.
How Bad Is It for Farmers? Selling Cabbages for 0.20 Yuan per Pound Is Unprofitable, and They Can't Even Sell Them
The incident had a direct impact on farmers:
- Exorbitantly low prices: Cabbages, which normally cost five to six yuan in supermarkets, are now sold for just 0.20 yuan per pound in the local market; in some years, they are even sold for 0.05 to 0.10 yuan per pound.
- Crops Rotting in the Fields: After the incident, no one dared to buy Kangbao cabbages, leaving hundreds of acres of crops to rot.
- Farmers Are Helpless: Many farmers are unaware of the use of formaldehyde and cannot control the actions of the purchasers; they can only curse the dishonest merchants while bearing the losses.
Although market inspections in Suqian did not detect any issues, consumers are now panicked, with some even throwing away the cabbages they bought, further reducing sales.
The Same Old Trick Reoccurs: Formaldehyde-Soaked Cabbages Were a Problem Ten Years Ago—Why Isn't It Still Being Stopped?
This isn't the first time such incidents have happened. In 2012, formaldehyde-contaminated cabbages were found in Qingzhou, Shandong, and later in Dingzhou, Hebei, with the culprits being detained. However, profit motives remain a driving force: the risks of violation are low compared to the potential profits.
- Lack of effective supervision: Regular inspections may not cover the transportation phase, making it difficult to detect such practices.
- Insufficient cold-chain subsidies: If cold-chain costs could be reduced, merchants would not resort to using formaldehyde.
How Does the Law Deal with This?
Using formaldehyde to preserve cabbages is a serious violation of the Food Safety Law, which prohibits the addition of non-edible chemicals to food. Using formaldehyde, whether or not someone is poisoned, may constitute the crime of producing or selling toxic or harmful food. Even if it doesn't reach the level of a crime, penalties such as fines and detention are possible. The involved individuals have already been apprehended by the police, and further actions will be taken based on the severity of the case.
In short, using formaldehyde to preserve cabbages is not a minor mistake; it is a serious violation of the law.
In Conclusion
The most innocent parties in this incident are the farmers. They grew the crops without any issues, yet they have to bear the consequences of the dishonest merchants' actions. To ensure food safety, it is essential to not only punish the dishonest merchants but also to address the high costs of cold-chain transportation and the shortcomings in supervision. Only by solving these issues can we prevent farmers from suffering unnecessary losses and ensure that their hard work is not in vain.