AP Exporters Call To Curb Pest Menace In Red Chillies

Vijayawada: Chilli exporters have urged both the Centre and the state government to address the presence of pesticide like methamidophos residues in red dry chillies, which is affecting its exports to international markets.

The presence of residues of methamidophos in three cargoes of dried chilli consignments to China resulted in a suspension of licence to three Indian exporters to China, the largest buyer.

Trade sources said, “It is feared that the high levels of methamidophos affect the nervous system of the consumers. Last year too, export of nearly 93 containers of red chillies from India, mainly to China, was rejected over the presence of excessive levels of residues of hazardous pesticides.

Chilli exporters say that India has an annual export potential of red chillies, mainly the Teja variety, worth around `13,000 crore to the International market. Nearly 60 per cent of the total exports land in China.

A total of nearly three lakh tonnes of chillies get exported. Out of this, around 65 per cent will be exported to China alone.

Ideally, chillies raised through integrated pest management will be exported to the US, Europe, Japan etc after checking the maximum residual levels. However, for exports to Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Bangladesh etc, there is no testing for pesticide residues. After taking certification of samples drawn from the Spices Board, they are exported.

Exporters say that when they held talks with the customs authorities in China over rejection of Indian consignments of red chillies, the latter sought a response from India as to what steps it would initiate against presence of harmful residues in the red chilies. The Chinese authorities however promised to review the ban on export permits to three Indian exporters.

Exporters allege that though the Kochi-based Spices Board of India exists, which oversees export of 54 notified species including chillies worth Rs 45,000 crore annually, it focuses more on export of cardamom, pepper and cloves.

The spices board restricts its role to only post-harvest management and no pre-production role while the state horticulture board will take care of production of red chillies etc.

Chillies export association of India general secretary Thota Ramakrishna said, “There is an urgent need to bring about awareness among the farmers to adapt good agricultural practices. They must completely avoid usage of hazardous pesticides and take up precision farming. If not, we will lose the global market.”

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AP raises red chillies in nearly 2.60 lakh hectares and gets an average yield of 2.5 tonnes per acre.

Red chillies cultivation is taken up during July/August and harvesting is from December to May.

Horticulture authorities say chilli farmers continuously use the pesticide on red chillies despite being advised to use it in a limited manner.

The national horticulture board has permitted a firm in AP to take up a Cluster Development Programme to raise chillies, turmeric and bananas in 10,000 acres in Palnadu, Bapatla and Guntur with precision farming for export.