Hospital feeding 'imported meat'

Labour agriculture spokesman Noel Farrugia said yesterday that while the government was advising consumers to eat local produce, imported meat was being used to cook meals at state hospitals.

Billboards advising the population to eat "fresh" Maltese meat have been erected alongside main roads by the Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment in a bid to promote the local industry. But Mr Farrugia said the chicken meat used in hospital meals was not being bought fresh from local factories but was being imported and frozen for at least nine weeks before being served to patients.

Mr Farrugia said consumers' associations and agricultural organisations should speak up to safeguard the interests of local producers.