Eurofins finds pesticide residue level high in Indian rice

A Hamburg-based lab, Eurofins, has found high levels of pesticide residue in Indian rice, both Basmati and non-Basmati. This may jeopardize the export of around $300 million worth export of Basmati rise alone to Europe. According to sources, this is because EU has reduced the pesticide levels to 0.01 ppm for imported rice. That the EC was planning to bring down the maximum residue level (MRL) for pesticide was apparent as far back as five years ago. After the formal reduction of MRL about a year ago, the development was brought to the notice of India’s exporters to Europe.

Towards June end, the European lab had issued reports to buyers suggesting that Indian rice has elevated levels (0.03%) of carbedenzum and isoprothiolane (both plant protection products and ppp), after the European Commission fixed an arbitrary MRL of 0.01 ppm.

Last month, the exporters hoped to resolve the vexed issue out of court through a personnel meeting with the head of EurofinsWerner Nader in New Delhi. The bigger question, though, is the issue of why the EU reduced pesticide levels in the first place and the data and scientific evidence that prompted it to reduce the MRL for the plant protection products (ppp) or pesticides, something that the exporters from India failed miserably to address.