Pesticide Testing Increased as Vegetable Sales Decline
Summary
Pesticide testing at a Chitwan laboratory has increased as farmers bring vegetables to market with higher chemical residue. Officials say awareness efforts are reducing the practice of selling produce immediately after pesticide use, and unsafe samples are being destroyed.
Key Points
- The Pesticide Residue Rapid Testing Laboratory in Chitwan has increased testing as pesticide levels in vegetables brought to market rise.
- Last fiscal year, 1,172 vegetable samples were tested in Bharatpur, with four samples found unsafe and destroyed.
- In fiscal year 2081/82, 907 samples were tested and five were destroyed; in 2080/81, 590 samples were tested and four were destroyed.
- Officials say farmers are becoming more careful about not selling vegetables immediately after pesticide application to protect consumer health.
