New pesticide residue norms may hit basmati exports; Punjab farmers worried

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, July 17

The change in pesticide residue norms for basmati crop, proposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), may adversely hit production, trade and exports from Punjab.

Though the FSSAI has proposed to change the norms to make Indian basmati acceptable to importing countries, especially in West Asia, exporters in Punjab say they will face the heat and this could impact basmati growers.

For the past few years, West Asian countries such as Jordan and Qatar have become very strict about the maximum residue level (MRL) in basmati, propelling the government here to change norms, bringing these on a par with the European Union (EU) guidelines.

Officials in the state Agriculture Department say basmati has already been sown on four lakh hectares.

“In the coming week, the government will be holding a meeting to decide on banning nine pesticides used on basmati. This will ensure that the MRL remains within the new limits recommended by the FSSAI. This will also ensure that basmati from Punjab is accepted in foreign markets,” Director (Agriculture) Gurwinder Singh told The Tribune.

The new norms, which will bring the MRL in Indian basmati on a par with international standards, could, however, threaten its exports.

In all, 18 pesticides are used for paddy, including basmati varieties, and the FSSAI has proposed to change their crop residue levels.

Industry sources say that MRL for two pesticides used on basmati — cypermethrin and carbendazim — is proposed to be reduced from 2 mg per kg to 0.01 and 0.05 mg, respectively.

“The new standard is unattainable. As a result, exports will be affected. In the international market, we often argue with buyers that our basmati is declared safe by the FSSAI. But with the FSSAI raising its bar for crop residue, we fear that exports will be hit,” said Arvinder Singh, a basmati exporter from Amritsar.

He said the All-India Rice Exporters Association had already objected to the change in norms. The Department, however, said experiments on basmati samples in 2021 showed that the crop residue level was lower than the MRL prescribed by the EU. “This was possible because nine pesticides were banned,” said the Director.

FSSAI raises the Bar

• Industry sources say that maximum residue level (MRL) for two pesticides used on basmati — cypermethrin and carbendazim — is proposed to be reduced from 2 mg per kg to 0.01 and 0.05 mg, respectively
• The MRL is the maximum concentration of a pesticide residue (expressed as mg/kg) to be legally permitted in food commodities and animal feed