Lok Sabha Question No. 1084 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-18
Subject: Use of Pesticides-chemicals in Production of Foodgrain
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Keshari Devi Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1084 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

## USE OF PESTICIDES - CHEMICALS IN PRODUCT ION OF FOODGRAIN

## 1084. SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  Gove rnment  has  taken  note  of  people fa ling  ill  due  to  excessive use  of pesticides - chemicals in production of foodg rain and other items and if so, details thereof;
- (b) the steps taken to check adulteration and limit the use of pesticides in view of the health hazards;
- (c) whether the Government prop oses to take stern action in order to check a dulteration in food, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  wheth er  t he  Government  has  initiated  any programme  to  create  a wareness  among  public regarding the method employed t o identify such adulteration in food and mitigate its ill effects;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the steps b eing taken by the Government toexplore alternative metho ds and technology for replacing use of chemicals in foodgrains?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) and (b):Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW), Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has informed that they are not in receipt of any such report of people falling ill due to excessive use of pesticides - chemicals in production of foodgrain and other items. Ministry of Agr iculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing 'Sub - Mission on Plant Protection and Plant Quarantine' Scheme, under which Integrated Pest Management approach is being  promoted  to  educate  the  farmers  about  judicious  use  of  chemical  pesticides  an recommend  use  as  per  the  directions  prescribed  on  the  label  and  leaflets.  Integrate Management  seeks  to  promote  cultural,  mechanical,  biological  methods  of  pest  control orients the farmers about proper use of pesticides.

During the last 5 years (2015- 16 to 2019- 20), 3472 Farmer Field Schools and 647 Human Resource  Development  programmes  were  conducted  under  Integrated  Pest  Management  and 1,04,160  farmers  and  25,880  pesticide  dealers  and  State  Extension  officials  have trained.Department of Agriculture, C ooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is implementing a scheme titled'Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level' to determine the levels of pesticide residues in agriculture commodities. Under the scheme, the sam vegetables, fruits, spices , red chilli powder, curry leaves, rice, wheat, pulses, tea and mil collected by 33 participating laboratories from the retail outlets, mother dairy and Ag Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) markets, farm gate, organic outlets located at dif ferent parts of the country and analysed by 30 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Cali Laboratories (NABL) accredited participating laboratories for the possible presence of p residues. During  the  last  6  years  (2014 -15  to  2019 -20),a  total  of  1,48,726  samples  were analyzed and out of which 3908 (2.6%) samples were found above the Maximum Residue Limit. Reports  of  Pesticide  Residue  Analysis  are  shared  with  State  Governments  to  undert awareness  campaigns  and  organise  Farmer  Field  S chools  in  the  districts  where  samples  are above prescribed pesticide residues limit to educate farmers regarding the uses as per a labels and leaflets.

Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  has  informed  that  farmin operations do not come under the purview of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. However, FSSAI has fixed Maximum Residue Limits (MRL)/tolerance limits for various pesticides a antibiotics in food commodities under Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins Resid ues) Regulations, 2011 and these are revivewd from time to time. MRLs/tolerance limits are established on the basis of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), Good Animal Husban Practices (GAHPs), Good Animal Feeding Practices (GAFPs) etc.

FSSAI has also ad vised Food Safety Commissioners of States/UTs to carry out targeted speci enforcement drive for monitoring of pesticide residues in food products.

(c):Implementation and enforcement of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, Rules an Regulations  ma de  thereunder  primarily  lies  with  State/UT  Governments.  To  ensure  the availability  of  safe  food  products  to  the  consumers  and  for  keeping  a  check  on  prese pesticides/antibiotic  residues  more  than  the  prescribed  limits,  Food  Safety  Commission States/UTs have been advised from time to time to keep a strict vigil by regularly drawing f samples from all sources viz. manufacturers , wholesalers, Mandis and retailers and to ta action against the offenders under the provisions of FSS Act, 2006. In cases where samples are found  to  be  non - conforming  to  the  prescribed  norms  and  standards,  penal  action  is  initi against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per provisions of FSS Act, 2006.

(d)  &  (e)  :  FSSAI  has  taken  a  series  of steps  to  create  awareness  among  public  regarding identification of adulteration and mitigate its ill effects , including:

- Mobile  testing  labs,  called  Food  Safety  on  Wheels  (FSWs),  which  are  used  for  test training and awareness generation. 90 FSWs have been provided to the States/UTs so far for being deployed in remote areas.
- Food Safety Magic Box, which is a portable testing kit, is useful as a pedagogical t school children, in primary health centres, for frontline health workers etc. A tot f 102 very  simple  tests  to  determine  adulteration  can  be  performed  with  the  Magic  box.

available  at  Government  e - market  place.  Its  companion  booklet  is  available  on  FSSAI website.

- Detect Adulterants with Rapid Testing (DART) is a booklet having co mpilation of common quick  tests  that  consumers  can  conduct  themselves  at  home  to  detect  common  foo adulterants using water and simple solutions like tincture of iodine. It covers more quick tests.
- Consumer guidance notes have been published on d iverse topics ranging from safety and quality of milk, concerns about pesticides in food , stickers on fruits and vegetables in fish etc. and circulated through social media as well as through its website. Guidance on  pesticides  in  food  cov ers  topics  such  as  steps  for  personal  protection  from  pestici residues  through  food  chain;  safe  use  practices  to  reduce/eliminate  pesticide  re methods to reduce the pesticide residues from the food products etc. Variou booklets and guidance note s are available on website of FSSAI and can be freely downloaded.
- FSSAI has also asked State Food Safety Commissioners to undertake awareness campaign on pesticides/insecticides residues in fruits and vegetables.
- Documentary films on detecting adulteration in milk and milk products, pepper, pulses have been developed and are available on FSSAI's You tube channel. Website and facebook page of FSSAI contains information on methods of checking adulteration at home, pictures showing good cooking practices etc.

(f): Organic  food  is  an  alternative  way  of  producing  food  without  use  of  chemicals pesticides. On its part, to ensure availability of genuine organic products to consumers, , FSSA has notified Food Safety and Standards (Organic Foods) Regulations, 2017 which stipulates that organic food offered or promoted for sale shall comply with the provisos of one of the systems namely Participatory Guarantee System for India (PGS -India) implemented by the M inistry of Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare or  National  programme  for  Organic  Production  (NPOP) implemented  by  Agricultural  and  Processed  Food  Products  Export  Development  Authority (APEDA) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. As per the regulations , a product may carry a certification or quality assurance mark of one of the systems mentioned above in to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's organic logo viz. Jaivik Bharat logo. These regulations are available at www.fssai.gov.i n.