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Tea Board panel on pesticide levels

KOLKATA: A national committee on pesticide levels (known as minimum residue level (MRL)) in tea has been constituted under the aegis of the Tea Board. This body is expected to be a nodal agency in this matter and will help formulate a national policy on MRL which often proves to be a non-tariff barrier which frustrates India’s efforts to increase earnings from its biggest commodity export item. The committee, which held its first meeting here recently, will have a multi-dimensional role working not only for the export segment but also for the domestic segments.

Tea Board Chairman Basudeb Banerjee told The Hindu that the committee would integrate the isolated efforts that were being made by the tea industry on this most vital aspect. “This is the first such initiative and it would be a policy-making committee engaging the industry, regulators and other authorities and would formulate a policy regarding MRL in tea,” C. S. Bedi, Committee Chairman, said.

Mr. Bedi, who is also the Chairman of the Tea Research Association, said that India, being the largest producer of black tea, would work with other major producers of the commodity like Sri Lanka and Kenya for joint generation of data.The tea industry feels that international action is required to bring about a sensible, practically attainable legislation that ensures protection of the consumer.

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