The Kerala government has informed Tamil Nadu that vegetables brought from that state were found to have pesticide residues three or four times more than the permissible limit.
Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy had, on June 10, convened a meeting to study the food safety report and directed the officials to write to the Tamil Nadu government. The high incidence of cancer in Kerala could partly be attributed to toxic vegetables from Tamil Nadu, Kerala had said in a meeting of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. More than 80% of the state’s vegetables come from neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
According to K Anil Kumar, food safety joint commissioner, Kerala, who led the study, says that the report, attached to the letter to the Tamil Nadu government, lists evidences to back its finding that farming is nearly controlled by pesticide-manufacturers.
Earlier, in response to a similar missive from Kerala, Tamil Nadu agricultural production commissioner Rakesh Lakhani had initiated surprise checks at vegetable farms and shops selling pesticides.
An inter-state secretary level meeting has been planned next month to discuss the matter. Following the earlier communique between the officials, the Tamil Nadu government has responded that chemicals that are banned on national level will not be allowed within the state. Tamil Nadu may also initiate supply of organic manure to the farmers at subsidised rate to improve food safety at farm level.
Vegetable wholesale dealers in Kerala, however, were not too happy at the state government’s suggestion to stop procuring toxic vegetables from Tamil Nadu. Their immediate reaction was that Kerala will face a vegetable shortage and the traders would lose their long-term suppliers.
Dismissing the argument made by local traders, the chief minister had directed the officials that all efforts should be made to get the cooperation of the Tamil Nadu officials to wipe out the pesticide menace in food, as it was an issue with grave ramifications on the health of people of the two states.