The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has operationalised the maximum residue limit (MRL) for five pesticides used in tea.
- The five pesticides are emamectin, benzoate, fenpyroximate, hexaconazole, propiconazole, and quinalphos.
- A notification issued on April 27 mentions that the FSSAI had notified the draft FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations on August 20, 2020, relating to the revision of MRL of pesticides used in tea along with other crops and commodities.
- Based on representation received and considering the fact that five pesticides were widely used for tea crop protection and that the MRL of these pesticides were revised upwards on the basis of data through draft notification in 2020, the FSSAI decided to operationalise the MRL for these pesticides for tea.
- Quinalphos is considered to be important for pest control under the integrated pest management programme. However, the Assam government recently prohibited the sale, distribution, and use of four insecticides, including quinalphos with relevance to tea cultivation for a period of 60 days.
- Indian tea exports got a boost in 2022 on the back of supply disruptions in Sri Lanka and inroads into newer markets.
- Rising temperature and prolonged dry spell due to climate change had led to widespread pest attacks, particularly in North India for a while, leading to revenue and crop loss on an annual basis.
