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Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level
Background:
It is an undisputed fact that the area of the agriculture land on the planet will decrease
and the demand for food and fibre for the ever-increasing population will keep on
increasing. Protection of crop losses is as important as producing food and fibre, and
crop protection chemicals have proved their worth in minimizing crop losses during
green revolution and are continuing to do so. Lately, pesticide residues in food
commodities and their entry into the food-chain has become a major cause of concern
all-over the world. Food safety has become crucial for all involved in the value chain
and consumers have to be assured that they are not exposed to an unacceptable level
of pesticide residues. After the establishment of the world trade order (WTO) and other
GATT, SPS and IPR challenges in this millennium, presence of the residues above
the permissible level is also a major bottleneck in the international trade of food
commodities.
In India, the food safety is based on the guiding principle of risk analysis of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (CAC). In order to exploit full potential of pesticides in
agriculture and public health programmes without adversely affecting the environment,
it is essential to study the facts about pesticide behavior and their persistence /
dissipation under tropical Indian conditions. There is also a need to know the status of
pesticide residues to ensure the safety to the consumer and to overcome the trade
barriers at international level.
The Government of India regulates the pesticide residues detected in various food
items through Prevention of Food Adulteration Act (now through Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2005). Various organizations in India such as institutions under the
Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR); State Agricultural Universities; Central
Insecticides Laboratory (CIL); Indian Institute of Grain Storage; institutions under
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR); Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR) and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and other research
groups have been engaged in monitoring of pesticide residues in food commodities
and environmental samples in their individual capacity primarily for academic
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purposes. Such studies were often overlapping and differed from one another in their
results. Due to increasing public awareness and legalities involved in pesticide
residues in food commodities, there was a need to harmonize the monitoring of
pesticide residues in the country.
DAC&FW sponsored central sector scheme, “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues
at National Level” (MPRNL):
The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture
& Farmers Welfare had started a central sector scheme, “Monitoring of Pesticide
Residues at National Level” (MPRNL) in food commodities and environmental
samples during 2005-06 with the participation of various laboratories representing
Ministry of Agriculture, Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Ministry of Health and
Family Welfare, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research, Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizer, Ministry of Commerce and State
Agricultural Universities across the country. The scheme was launched by Shri Ashish
Bahuguna, IAS, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmer’s
Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare, Government of India during 14th
annual workshop of ICAR- All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues organized
at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal
Pradesh from 14-15 June, 2005.
Objectives:
To identify crops and regions having preponderance of pesticide residues in
order to focus extension efforts for Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and Good
Agriculture Practices (GAP)
To strengthen infrastructure at Quarantine stations to prevent entry of food and
food commodities which have pesticide residues above maximum residue limit
(MRL)
Testing / Certification of pesticide residue in export / import consignments
To test pesticide residues and other contaminants in food commodities and
environmental samples like soil and water.
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Participating laboratories:
The Project Coordinating Cell, AINP on Pesticide Residues, IARI, New Delhi of ICAR
is the nodal Centre. These participating centres have been accredited by National
Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Laboratories (NABL) in the field of
chemical testing as per ISO/IEC 17025:2005 to ensure the generation of authentic
data. The participating laboratories of the scheme are listed below:
1. Project Coordinating Cell, All India Network Project on Pesticide Residues, LBS
Building, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (Delhi)
2. Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana (Punjab)
3. ICAR Unit No. 9, BTRS Building, Anand Agricultural University, Anand (Gujarat)
4. Department of Entomology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri
(Maharashtra)
5. Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Kerala Agricultural University,
Vellayani (Kerala)
6. Division of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Indian Institute of
Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangalore (Karnataka)
7. Department of Entomology, Rajasthan Agricultural University, Research Station,
Durgapura, Jaipur (Rajasthan)
8. Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, E.E.I. Premises,
Rajendranagar, Hyderabad (Telangana)
9. Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu)
10. Institute of Pesticide Formulation Technology, Sector–20, Udyog Vihar, Gurgaon
(Haryana)
11. National Institute of Occupational Health, P. B. No. 2031, Meghani Nagar,
Ahmedabad (Gujarat)
12. Western Region Referral Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Public Health,
Bombay Veterinary College, Parel, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
13. The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA), MPEDA House,
Panampilly Avenue, Kochi (Kerala)
14. Pesticide Toxicology Laboratory, Indian Institute of Toxicological Research,
Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh)
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15. Trace Organic Laboratory, Central Pollution Control Board, Parivesh Bhawan,
East Arjun Nagar (Delhi)
16. National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, Nehru Marg, Nagpur
(Maharashtra)
17. Regional Plant Quarantine Station, Haji Bunder Road, Sewri, Mumbai
(Maharashtra)
18. Regional Plant Quarantine Station, G.S.T. Road, Meenambakkam, Chennai
(Tamil Nadu)
19. AINP on Pesticide Residues, Directorate of Research, Research Complex
Building, Kalyani, Nadia (West Bengal)
20. Department of Entomology, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and
Forestry, Nauni, Solan (Himachal Pradesh)
21. National Plant Quarantine Station, New Delhi (Delhi)
22. National Institute of Plant Health Management (NIPHM), Pesticide Management
Division, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad (Telangana)
23. Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), Port Blair (Andaman and Nicobar)
24. Export Inspection Agency, Kolkata (West Bengal)
25. Export Inspection Agency, Mumbai (Maharashtra)
26. Export Inspection Agency, Chennai (Tamil Nadu)
27. Export Inspection Agency, Kochi (Kerala)
28. National Dairy Development Board, CALF, Anand (Gujarat)
29. National Horticultural Research & Development Foundation (NHRDF), Nasik
(Maharashtra)
30. Punjab Biotechnology Incubator (PBTI), Agri- and Food Testing Laboratory
(PBTI), Mohali, Chandigarh, (Punjab)
31. Pesticide Residue and Food Quality Analysis Laboratory, University of
Agricultural Sciences, Raichur (Karnataka)
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Sample collection:
The 31 participating laboratories collect food commodities such as vegetables, fruits,
cereals, pulses, spices, curry leaves, red chilli powder, milk, egg, fish/marine, meat,
tea, etc. from various markets under the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee
(APMC), local markets, farm gate, organic outlets and Public Distribution Systems
(PDS) and irrigated water from intensive agricultural fields from different parts of the
country and analyze for the presence or absence of pesticide residues.
Sample analysis:
A developed, validated and uniform methodology is followed by all the participating
laboratories for sampling, analysis of pesticide residues and reporting of the results.
The results are being confirmed with the help of gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry (GC-MS) or liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).
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Monitoring results:
During 2008 to 2018, a total of 1,81,656 samples of the various food commodities such
as vegetables, fruits, rice, wheat, pulses, spices, red chilli powder, curry leaves, milk,
butter, fish and other marine products, meat, egg, tea, honey etc. and environmental
samples like soil and water were collected from various parts of the country and
analyzed during 2008- 2018 for the presence of pesticide residues, out of which 3,844
(2.1%) samples were found above MRL as prescribed under Food Safety Standard
Authority of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health and Family welfare.
Table. Monitoring data on pesticide residues in food commodities and
environmental samples collected during 2008-2018
Period Number of Samples
analyzed
Number of Samples
above FSSAI MRL
2008-09 13,348 212 (1.6 %)
2009-10 14,225 155 (1.1 %)
2010-11 15,321 188 (1.2 %)
2011-12 16,948 303 (1.8 %)
2012-13 16,494 436 (2.6 %)
2013-14 16,660 509 (3.1 %)
2014-15 20,618 522 (2.5 %)
2015-16 22,103 523 (2.4%)
2016-17 22,271 473 (2.1%)
2017-18 23,668 523 (2.2%)
Total 1,81,656 3,844 (2.1%)
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Year-wise comparison of total number of sample analysed and samples above
FSSAI MRL during 2012-18
Utilisation of monitoring data:
The data generated by the scheme help in focusing governmental interventions such
as integrated pest management (IPM) and other suitable measures in regions of high
prevalence of pesticide residues. This programme helps the authorities at various
levels to sensitize the stake holders on pesticide use / safe use, pesticide residue and
food safety, and regulatory issues related to pesticide residues. The data includes the
status of pesticide load in various food commodities, usage of recommended/ non-
recommended pesticides by the farmers and sharing of monitoring data with state
agricultural department for necessary corrective action.
Monitoring data submission to Codex for risk assessment and MRL fixation
The monitoring data of seed spices and fruit and berry spices was submitted to FAO-
WHO Joint Meeting of Pesticide Residues (JMPR) for risk assessment and fixation of
MRL. Based on the data submitted, the MRL of dithiocarbamates in cumin (10 ppm),
phorate in coriander seed (0.1 ppm) and fennel seed (0.1 ppm); cypermethrin in
cardamom (3 ppm); triazophos in cardamom (4 ppm), coriander seed (0.1 ppm) and
fennel seed (0.1 ppm); cyhalothrin in cardamom (2 ppm); profenofos in cardamom (3
ppm), coriander seed (0.1 ppm), fennel seed (0.1 ppm) and cumin seed (5 ppm);
16494 1666020618 22103 22270 23668
403 (2.4 %) 403 (2.7 %)
543 (2.6 %)522 (2.4 %) 473 (2.1 %) 523 (2.2%)
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
Samples analysed Samples above MRL
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acetamiprid in pepper (0.1 ppm) and imidacloprid in tea (50 ppm) have been fixed by
Codex.
Annual workshop of the scheme:
The annual workshop of the MPRNL scheme is held under the chairmanship of Joint
Secretary (PP), DAC Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi in which the progress and issues of
the MPRNL participating centres is reviewed and discussed and the technical
programme is finalized. So far, 12 annual workshop of the scheme have been
successfully conducted.
Annual
Workshop
Venue Date
First Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani July 8, 2006
Second Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana December 16, 2007
Third Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani November 28, 2008
Fourth Anand Agricultural University, Anand February 19-20, 2010
Fifth Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani April 30, 2011
Sixth Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University,
Hyderabad
May 12, 2012
Seventh Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore June 20, 2013
Eighth Bidhan Chandra Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Kalyani May 22, 2014
Ninth Kerala Agricultural University, Vellayani May 28, 2015
Tenth Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana May 25, 2016
Eleventh Anand Agricultural University, Anand September 22, 2017
Twelfth National Institute of Plant Health Management,
Hyderabad
July 12, 2018
Shri. U. K. Singh, JS (PP), DAC&FW addressing the delegates during the 9th annual workshop of MPRNL
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Mrs. Jayalakshmi, DG, NIPHM inaugurating the 12th annual workshop
NABL accreditation of participating laboratories as per ISO/IEC 17025:
All the 31 participating laboratories under the monitoring scheme are accredited by
National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration of Laboratories (NABL) in the
field of pesticide residue analysis as per ISO/IEC 17025 to achieve excellence in
precision and authenticity of database.
The laboratories are regularly participating in the Inter laboratory comparison (ILC)
and Proficiency testing (PT) programmes at national and international level to ensure
that quality data is generated by the laboratory. The performance of the laboratory is
reviewed based on the Z-score obtained by the laboratory in PT/ ILC programmes.
Human resource development/ Capacity building in the field of pesticide residue
analysis:
The Project Coordinating Cell, IARI, New Delhi regularly conducts “Refresher Group
Training Programme on Pesticide Residue Analysis” to upgrade the knowledge and
skills of the research personnel and scientist under the scheme on the latest
development in the methodologies and analytical techniques. . During 2007-17, a total
of 23 Refresher Group training programmes on “Pesticide Residue Analysis” have
been conducted.
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Hands-on refresher training program
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Distribution of certificates by Dr. B. Rajender, JS (PP), DAC&FW to the trainees
Infrastructure development:
The laboratories under the scheme have been strengthened by providing analytical
instrument (GC, HPLC, GC-MS, LC-MS/MS), sample preparation equipment,
recurring contingency (chemicals, glassware, etc.), contractual manpower, etc. for
smooth functioning of the scheme.
Gas chromatograph- Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS)
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Liquid chromatograph- Mass spectroscopy (LC-MS)
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