The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), through its directive dated 4 March 2024, instructed food testing laboratories to test tea samples for six pesticides—Cypermethrin, Acephate, Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Dinotefuran, and Fipronil. Following its implementation, the North Eastern Tea Council Small Tea Growers’ Association (NECTSGA) reported that a significant proportion of Assam’s tea was being declared non-compliant.
The association argued that these pesticides are not prohibited for use in tea. It stated that Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid have approved label claims for tea from the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIB&RC), while Cypermethrin has an established Codex Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for tea.
APSC Relevance: Agriculture; Economy.
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