Vegetables are safe to consume

Pesticide residues within limits in Tamil Nadu: report

Rejecting the allegations of the Kerala government that vegetables supplied from Tamil Nadu have high level of pesticides residue, the Agriculture Department has data to prove that 96 per cent of samples were free of pesticide residue.

According to an analytical report prepared by the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, only two vegetable samples — bhendi and bitterguard — have pesticide residue level exceeding the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL), set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the CODEX (European Union Standards).

All the fruits — grape, mango, banana, guava and fig —were free from pesticides residue. For the current year, the analysis of 117 vegetables and fruits was completed by Pesticide Toxicology Laboratory of the Agricultural University on June 15.

The samples were processed through standardised multi-residue method approved by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

The detection and quantification was done for 45 pesticides by Gas Chromatograph (GC) with confirmation in Gas Chromatograph—Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) as per the food safety requirement. Pesticides banned in Kerala, but used in Tamil Nadu were not considered. But pesticides banned as per Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee are already restricted for marketing in Tamil Nadu, sources said.

“In five (4.1 per cent) vegetables — bhendi (4) and bitterguard (1), the residue level exceeded the permissible level. The remaining 96 per cent of the samples were free of pesticides residue,” the report said.

A senior official of the Agriculture Department said inspection in 4,800 retail pesticides shops found no banned pesticides.

Awareness campaign

To create awareness of judicious use of pesticides, the department has launched ‘Grow safe food campaign’ on five essential principles. The message of application of pesticides on the right crop, at the right time in approved doses and as per approved methods against pests for which pesticides have been approved is being conveyed to farmers and other stakeholders.