3.1% of tested fruit and vegetable samples exceed pesticide limits

New Delhi: The Government has said that 70,652 samples of fruits and vegetables were collected and tested for pesticide residues across 23 States and Union Territories during 2023-26, as part of the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL) project. The information was provided by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Lok Sabha in response to a question on the excessive or indiscriminate use of pesticides. 2,223 Samples Found Above FSSAI Limits Of the 70,652 fruit and vegetable samples tested, 2,223 samples, or 3.1 per cent, were found to contain pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) prescribed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). State-wise details were provided in the statement placed before the House. The MPRNL project, implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare since 2005-06, monitors pesticide residues in vegetables, fruits, spices, cereals, pulses, herbs, tea, milk, eggs, meat, fish and marine products and water. Samples are collected from retail outlets, wholesale markets, cooperative outlets, Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) markets, farm gates and organic outlets and analysed through participating laboratories. Among the States covered during 2023-26, Karnataka recorded the highest number of samples...