Now Reading: Pesticide residues above limit in 3.1% fruit, veg samples
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Pesticide residues above limit in 3.1% fruit, veg samples
Only 3.1% of fruit and vegetable samples tested under a national project had pesticide residues above the legal limit, the government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan…
The Story in Brief
Only 3.1% of fruit and vegetable samples tested under a national project had pesticide residues above the legal limit, the government told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said 70,652 samples were collected from 23 states and union territories during 2023-26 under the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL) project. Residues exceeding the FSSAI’s maximum residue limit were detected in 2,223 samples (3.1%). The project uses GPS coordinates for traceability, and 21 states have set up committees to promote good agricultural practices.
The Indian Opinion
The 3.1% figure is reassuring but not a clean chit. Activists may inflate the risk, while industry might use it to brush off all concerns. The real test is whether sampling expands to high-risk produce like leafy greens and if state-level committees actually change farm practices, not just meet on paper. Will the government release district-wise data so citizens know where the worst problems lie? That would settle the debate.
Source: thehindubusinessline.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
