NETA asks Assam govt to follow Punjab govt’s style of banning 6 pesticides in tea production

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJune 2, 2024

North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), a tea producers organisation of the Northeast, on Sunday urged the Assam government to follow the Punjab government’s style in banning pesticides in tea production in the state.

A delegation of NETA led by its adviser Bidyananda Barkakoty and chairman Ajay Dhandharia met Assam agriculture minister Atul Bora, and submitted a memorandum on ways and means to resolve the present crisis on “FSSAI compliance in Tea”.

“Punjab government in compliance with Insecticides Act, 1968 (Central         Act 46 of 1969) and with all other powers has issued a notification in March 2024, announcing a ban on the sale, distribution and use of specific 10 pesticides in the state to protect the interest of Basmati rice growers and ensure the production of high-quality rice with no pesticides residues. To implement this notification, every dealer will be given a written note. If any farmer asks for any of the listed insecticides to be sprayed on paddy the dealers will guide those farmers not to use these insecticides and suggest other alternatives. The state government will also check various delivery points and record the sale of these 10 insecticides,” NETA advisor Bidyananda Barkakaty said in a memorandum to the minister.

Barkakaty urged the minister to prohibit the sale, stock and distribution of some pesticides in the states in the interest of the tea community in the state.

“50 per cent of total green leaves are produced by small tea growers. Due to a lack of awareness, the small growers spray some pesticides that are not approved for use in tea. However, these pesticides which are not approved for use in tea are available in the open market it can be used in other crops. Tea is the lifeline industry in Assam and 90 per cent of the total export from Assam is alone, lakhs and lakhs of people’s livelihood are dependent on this industry,” he said in the memorandum.

“We envisage that 90 per cent of our FSSAI-compliant issue in tea would be resolved if these six pesticides are prohibited from selling to tea growers in the same line as recently adopted for monocrophos,” he also said.

In a directive on March 4, 2024, the FSSAI (Food Safety and Standard Authority of India) has made it mandatory to test certain pesticides that are neither banned nor approved for use in tea –Cypernethrin, Accphate, Imidacloprid, Acctamiprid, Dinotefuran, and Fipronil.

“Since these six pesticides are not approved for use in tea, hence the tolerance Limit applied is 0.01mg/kg. Due to a lack of awareness, the small tea growers spray some pesticides in their plantations. In recent testing of teas for FSSAI compliance, Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid residues have been found in most of the teas. Because of low tolerance limit fixed for Acctamiprid and Imidacloprid, teas are non-compliant,” Barkakaty said in a separate memorandum to the minister.

He said the Tea Research Association (TRA)has submitted a dossier to CIB&RC (Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee) for an extension of the label claim of Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid for tea,. TRA has also submitted copies of the dossier to the director of agriculture, Assam seeking necessary help. Once MRLs are fixed for Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid, we are confident that 90% of the teas (if not 100%) produced in Assam would become FSSAI compliant.

“FSSAI compliance is a sensitive subject which needs to be handled with utmost care. If it is not handled properly then it may hurt tea consumption which will ultimately impact the livelihood of lakhs of people associated with the tea industry. Tea in the lifeline industry of Assam, 90 per cent of total exports from Assam tea alone,” he further said.

“We solicit your kind help in getting the extension of label claim of Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid for tea from CIB&RC and final declaration on MRL by FSSAI for which we remain ever grateful to you,” he added.

NETA delegation also comprised vice-chairman Neeraj Jallan and executive members Manoj Jallan, Amit Malpani, Sudhir Roy, Vishal Jallan, Nitin Kashyap and secretary Manisha Sharma.