Uttar Pradesh
10 Pesticides Banned to Save Taste and Quality of Basmati
- 12 Oct 2023
- 2 min read
Why In News?
On October 10, 2023, Dr. Ritesh Sharma, Principal Scientist, Basmati Export Development Foundation (BEDF), Modipuram, informed that 10 pesticides have been banned to protect the taste and quality of basmati crop due to indiscriminate use of chemicals.
Key Points:
- Additional Director (Agriculture Defence) Tripurari Prasad Choudhury has banned 10 pesticides in 30 districts of the state. By banning them, the quality of Basmati and its true taste will be saved. This will also increase basmati exports.
- These pesticides are banned: The insecticides include Acephate, Buprofezin, Chloropyriphos, Methamidophos, Propiconazole, Thiamethoxam, Profenofos, Isoprothiolane, Carbendazim, and Tricyclazole.
- Dr. Ritesh Sharma said that Basmati is cultivated in 30 districts of western Uttar Pradesh. These include Agra, Aligarh, Auraiya, Baghpat, Bareilly, Bijnor, Badaun, Bulandshahr, Etah, Kasganj, Farrukhabad, Firozabad, Etawah, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Hathras, Mathura, Mainpuri, Meerut, Moradabad, Amroha, Kannauj, Muzaffarnagar, Shamli, Pilibhit, Rampur, Saharanpur, Shahjahanpur, Sambhal.
- Basmati rice is a geographical indication (GI) category crop of Uttar Pradesh. Agricultural chemicals are used to prevent pests and diseases in it. Residues of these chemicals are being found in basmati rice.
- APEDA (Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority) has stated that the maximum pesticide residue level of tricyclazole in basmati rice has been set by the European Union at MRL 0.01 ppm, but due to the amount of more than the prescribed ppm, exports to Europe, America and Gulf countries have decreased by 15 percent in the year 2021-2022 compared to the year 2020-21.
