Only 3.1% Fruit, Veg Samples Above FSSAI Pesticide Limits
Government tells Parliament only 3.1 per cent of 70,652 fruit and vegetable samples exceeded FSSAI pesticide residue limits over three years.
New Delhi, August 11 — Only around 3.1 per cent of 70,652 fruit and vegetable samples tested across 23 states and Union Territories were found to contain pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India during the last three years, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has been implementing the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level project since 2005-06 to assess pesticide residue levels in agricultural commodities.
Responding to a starred question in Parliament, Chouhan said samples under the project are collected through 40 participating laboratories. The test reports are subsequently shared with the agricultural departments of states and Union Territories to support awareness initiatives and training programmes for farmers on the safe and judicious use of pesticides.
