Union Minister echoes Greenpeace's concerns on pesticide residue in tea

Greenpeace India siad it urged the Indian tea companies not to hide behind regulations, but look towards real solutions of Non Pesticide Management (NPM) that can ensure consumers their right to safe tea.

In India pesticides are regulated by Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIBRC) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the regulation has been proven to be in shambles.

“The registration of 248 pesticides by the CIBRC has no rationale, as this has been done without checking whether alternatives exist, while Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are not set for all registered pesticides. Also, MRLs are not an indicator of safety as they are set for individual active ingredients and Greenpeace has found a cocktail of pesticides in more than half the samples tested," said Neha Saigal, Senior Campaigner, Greenpeace India.

The failure of the regulation has been further demonstrated in the tea sector with Greenpeace finding pesticides like Monocrotophos, Tebufenpyrad and Triazophos in tea samples; these pesticides are unapproved for use in tea. Greenpeace is, therefore, asking the tea companies to commit to a roadmap of gradual phase out of pesticides adopting an ecosystem based approach,” she said.

Earlier this month, two of the leading tea companies Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and Girnar Tea came forward in support of NPM for tea after Greenpeace India released its report “Trouble Brewing”.

“The tea industry has taken cognizance of our report and acknowledged the issue of pesticides in tea. While we acknowledge the efforts made by companies like Tata Global Beverages Limited (TGBL), we hope they will adopt a new holistic approach which can lead to elimination and not reduction of pesticides. We urge the tea companies to take plantation owners and small tea growers along with them on this sustainable journey,” Saigal added further.

Recently International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements released a statement calling on the tea industry to save the tea industry and the right of consumers to safe tea.

Greenpeace said it will continue engaging with all stakeholders in the tea sector and facilitate movement towards a solution that will help the sector move out of the pesticide treadmill and ensure sustainable livelihoods for the farmers and safe tea for the consumers.