39.—(1) An authorised officer may, for the purposes of ascertaining the presence of prohibited pesticide residue, and the levels of pesticide residue or toxic chemical residue, contained in any fresh fruit or vegetable, enter any premises at all reasonable times to take, without payment, any reasonable sample of fresh fruits or vegetables for analysis by an authorised analyst and detain the whole lot from which the sample is taken under normal storage conditions until a report of the result of the analysis is obtained.
[32/98]
(2) A report of the result of an analysis which is signed by an authorised analyst shall be admissible in evidence in any proceedings under this Act or any rules made thereunder and, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, is proof of the matters stated in the report.