Question : Harmful Chemicals and Pesticides in Food Items

(a) whether the Government has taken note that certain banned pesticides are used for production and artificial ripening of fruits, vegetables and other crops including foodgrains, pulses etc. which have an adverse impact on human health, soil and livestock;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any investigation on the complaint regarding presence of harmful chemicals in food items or any study to dentify the level of harmful chemicals/ pesticide residues in the fruits, vegetables and other crops/foods items;

(d) if so, the outcome thereof; and

(e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to ban/check the use of harmful substances/chemicals/pesticides in the country especially in food items?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a) to (d): The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level” (MPRNL) scheme, under which agriculture commodities are collected and analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues. During 2012-18, a total of 1,21,944 samples have been collected and analyzed, out of which 2,878 (2.4 %) samples were found exceeding Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Maximum Residue Level (MRL). None of the banned pesticides were detected in any sample.

(e): The Registration Committee, constituted under Section 5 of the Insecticides Act, 1968 registers pesticides after considering its efficacy and safety to human beings, animals and environment. In additions, technical reviews are carried out from time to time to assess the safety of pesticides for their continued use. Based on which, the Government, inter alia, has banned 40 pesticides in the country. Further, the Central Government and State Governments have notified 182 and 10354 Insecticide Inspectors respectively to check the sale of misbranded pesticides. Insecticide samples are drawn on a regular basis and are analyzed in 69 State Pesticides Testing Laboratories (SPTLs) and at two Regional Pesticides Testing Laboratories. Action is initiated under the provisions of the Insecticides Act, 1968 against those samples which are found misbranded.

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