3% of fruit and vegetable samples tested by FSSAI showed pesticide residues above permitted limits during 2023-26

The Indian government has reported that 3.1 per cent of fruit and vegetable samples tested between 2023 and 2026 contained pesticide residues exceeding the Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) established by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, shared these findings during a session in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Under the ‘Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level’ (MPRNL) project, a total of 70,652 samples were collected from 23 states and union territories. Out of these, 2,223 samples were found to have residues surpassing the legal thresholds. The MPRNL project, which has been in operation since 2005-06, currently functions through 40 participating laboratories and has been approved to continue until the 2028-29 fiscal year.

To ensure full traceability, the project utilizes GPS coordinates for all sample collection points, allowing investigators to track products back to the specific growing area at the farm gate. Furthermore, 21 states have established regional committees dedicated to monitoring pesticide residues and promoting good agricultural practices (GAP) along with integrated pest management (IPM) to reduce reliance on chemicals and ensure food safety across all agricultural sectors.

In addition to food safety updates, the Ministry of Agriculture addressed changes in regulatory policy, confirming the withdrawal of the draft Sugarcane (Control) Order, 2026. The draft had been published for public comment on April 20, 2026, but was subsequently retracted on May 29, 2026. This decision follows feedback from state governments and stakeholders, indicating a need to revisit and refine the proposed control measures before proceeding with any new regulatory framework.

Finally, the government highlighted the expansion of the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey (DGCES). Initially launched as a pilot in 2023, the program has grown to cover 23 states and union territories. By replacing paper-based workflows with mobile applications, geo-tagging, and time-stamped photographic evidence, the DGCES has significantly improved the transparency, accuracy, and timeliness of crop yield estimations across India, providing a more robust digital ecosystem for national agricultural data management.