Prataprao Jadhav inaugurates first National Stakeholder Consultation by FSSAI on pesticide residues
The Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare advocates good agricultural practices & collaborative
efforts
Collective efforts key to addressing pesticide concerns: Prataprao Jadhav
Union Minister
of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav inaugurated
the National Stakeholder Consultation on Challenges in Monitoring Pesticide
Residues in Food Commodities organized by Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, here today.
Emphasizing the need for a nationwide strategy for stricter monitoring of
pesticide residues in food, Shri Jadhav urged all stakeholders to work collectively
in promoting best practices for food safety and sustainability.
This stakeholder consultation on pesticides is first in
the series of such consultations with stakeholders on emerging issues like
sustainable packaging, nutraceuticals, antimicrobial resistance etc. Addressing
stakeholders, the Union Minister appreciated the initiative of FSSAI and
stressed on the need to review existing practices in pesticide monitoring and
to create a robust mechanism to address the challenges of pesticide residue. He
also emphasized the importance of agriculture in sustaining millions of
livelihoods and ensuring food security. Shri Jadhav added that today’s farmers
are more adaptive towards use of new technology so it is easier to educate them
on use of pesticides and about Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). He also
advocated for collaborative efforts from all the stakeholders to devise a
concrete action plan to minimize pesticide residues in food commodities.
Jadhav also stated that the consultation would prove
instrumental in identification of gaps, which can then be focused and
deliberated upon to develop a robust mechanism of food safety and make food
commodities free of pesticide residue. He also commended FSSAI’s efforts in
strengthening food safety frameworks.
Union Health Secretary, Punya Salila Srivastava, shared
her valuable insights on the issue, emphasizing that the indiscriminate use of
pesticides poses significant risks to public health. She stressed the
importance of strengthening monitoring systems and raising public awareness
about pesticide use, ensuring that every person has access to safe food. She
advocated for the development of actionable strategies aimed at protecting
public health, underscoring that the primary goal of this consultation is to ensure
that everyone can enjoy safe and healthy food.
Devesh Chaturvedi, Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and
Farmers’ Welfare delivered a special address wherein he highlighted the issue
of spurious pesticide in the market and also advocated judicious use of
pesticides to protect consumer health.
Subrata Gupta, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing
Industries emphasized the need for all stakeholders in the food value chain to
collaborate to address challenges related to pesticides. “Pesticides causes not
only bad health but also bad commerce.”
G Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO, FSSAI in his concluding
remarks reiterated the FSSAI’s commitment to ensuring food safety through
stringent monitoring and regulatory measures. He concluded that “By ensuring
the safety of food, we protect not only public health but also our environment,
the livelihoods of our farmers, and the future of international trade. The
outcomes of this consultation will form the foundation for more effective
policies and regulations that reflect the complexities of today’s agricultural
and food safety landscape” He added that the insights and recommendations from
this consultation will contribute to the development of more robust policies
and action plans for improving pesticide residue monitoring and ensuring food
safety across India.
The National Stakeholder Consultation on Pesticide
Residues marks a crucial step in strengthening food safety by addressing
challenges in monitoring pesticide use and ensuring regulatory compliance.
Recognizing the need for a coordinated approach, FSSAI convened this
consultation to enhance surveillance, enforce safety standards, and mitigate
health risks associated with chemical residues in food. By bringing together
key stakeholders, the consultation fosters collaboration on best practices,
emerging risks, and innovative solutions like bio-pesticides and precision
application. As India aligns with global safety standards, this discussion is
pivotal in safeguarding public health and promoting sustainable agriculture.
The event brought together key stakeholders, including
government officials, scientific experts, regulatory bodies, National
Institutes, representatives from Industry Association, farmer organizations,
consumer associations & pesticide manufacturer associations to deliberate
on strategies and exchange valuable insights, which will help to devise
concrete action plans.
The consultation featured a technical session followed by
a panel discussion on “Global Regulatory Frameworks and National-Level
Challenges in Monitoring Pesticide Residues in Food Commodities. The panel
featured experts from the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Residues (JMPR),
FAO, ICAR, CIB&RC, and FSSAI’s Scientific Panel on Pesticide Residues.
Key discussions focused on emphasizing the importance of
expanding national surveillance programs, enhancing laboratory capacities,
discussions on aligning India’s Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) with
international standards like Codex Alimentarius while considering India’s
unique agricultural and environmental conditions.
The post-lunch session featured an open forum stakeholder
interaction involving stakeholders from agriculture, food processing, and
consumer organizations to voice their concerns and recommendations. Key issues
raised during the consultation included the challenges in implementing
effective pesticide residue monitoring, the need for harmonizing India’s
Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) with international standards, and concerns over
off-label and excessive pesticide use. There was also a strong emphasis on
enhancing farmer education and awareness, introducing digital traceability
solutions, and promoting sustainable alternatives such as bio-pesticides and
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to minimize health risks and trade barrier.