To address growing concern over excessive use of pesticides in fruits and vegetables, the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MoAD) had set up a lab in Kalimati Vegetables Market last year. The lab uses Bioassay for Pesticide Residue (RBPR) technology to test pesticide residue. At that time, officials of MoAD had announced plan to set up such labs in Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Butwal, Narayanghat and Biratnagar within 2014/15.
However, Plant Protection Directorate (PPD) -- the designated authority to set up such labs -- has not even started initial works to set up labs, citing lack of equipment. "We have not been able to set up pesticide residue screening lab due to lack of required equipment," Dilli Ram Sharma, program officer of PPD, told Republica.According to PPD officials, they have not received necessary equipment from Project for Agriculture Commercialization and Trade (PACT). As per the agreement, PACT is supposed to procure necessary equipment for the lab and hand them over to PPD.
"We will begin the set up process of the laboratories as soon as PACT hands over the equipment to us," added Sharma.
Meanwhile, officials of PACT told Republica that they have already published tender notice to procure necessary equipment. "After evaluating proposals of interested suppliers, we will select one supplier which will supply lab equipment to us," IK Jha, project officer of PACT, told Republica. "The equipment will then be handed over to PPD."
PPD has also asked PACT to provide it mobile labs so that it can test pesticide residue in fruits and vegetables throughout the country.
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