FSSAI Approves 159 Labs, Deploys 285 Mobile Units for Pesticide Testing in Food

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has identified 159 primary laboratories as capable of testing pesticide residues in food commodities. The move is aimed at strengthening the country’s monitoring of food safety.

FSSAI has also deployed 285 mobile food testing laboratories across 35 states and Union territories for on-site testing. Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel shared the information in the Lok Sabha on August 8.

Patel said the laboratories are supported under the “Strengthening of Food Testing Laboratories” scheme. “The scheme helps labs procure high-end equipment, which improves their capacity to test pesticide residues in food,” she said.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is running the “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level” project through 35 participating laboratories. Samples of vegetables, fruits, spices, cereals, pulses, herbs, tea, and water are collected from different parts of the country. The results are shared with state governments to educate farmers on pesticide use.

Patel said the government is promoting Integrated Pest Management to reduce excessive pesticide use. This approach combines traditional and biological methods of pest control.

To curb the sale of spurious and unregulated pesticides, 12,511 insecticide inspectors have been appointed across the country. They conduct inspections and collect samples from manufacturers and sellers.

The ministry also supports farmer training through Central Integrated Pest Management Centres, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, and state agriculture departments. In 2024–25, 720 training programs were held, reaching more than 21,000 farmers. These sessions cover bio-pesticides, bio-stimulants, and the safe, need-based use of chemical pesticides.

Earlier, Ground Report had reported that in Madhya Pradesh’s Khargone district, easy access to highly toxic pesticides, locally called dawai, has led to rising cases of poisoning, often in moments of distress, with police records showing multiple incidents even among people with no farmland, highlighting a public health crisis worsened by weak regulation and unmonitored sales.

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