The government has said that pesticide residues above the Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) fixed by the FSSAI were detected in 3.1 per cent samples of fruits and vegetables in the last three years.
In a reply in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, said a total of 70,652 samples of fruits and vegetables were collected from 23 states and union territories under ‘Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level’ (MPRNL) project from 23 states and union territories during 2023-26.
Pesticide residues above the MRL fixed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) were detected in 2,223 (3.1 per cent) samples only, he said.
