April 7: The government has adopted a policy of importing vegetables, fruits and other agricultural commodities from India into Nepal only after measuring the residue of pesticides. However, such perishable items are entering the country every day without checking pesticide, against the government’s policy.

About 45 percent of vegetables and 75 percent of fruits consumed in the Kathmandu Valley are imported from India. However, due to the weakness of the concerned authorities, there is a risk of consumption of poisonous vegetables and fruits. Statistics show that traders tried to import 12 trucks of pesticide-laden items including vegetables, fruits and nuts from Bhairahawa checkpoint alone into the country in the last three months.

According to the data provided by the Bhairahawa Customs Office, 1600 trucks entered the area from last January to the second week of April. Twelve of them were sent back after finding pesticides in high amounts in the imported vegetables and fruits. According to Tirtha Raj Paswan, Information Officer at Bhairahawa Customs Office, toxic residues were found in amounts higher than acceptable standards in tangerine, orange, grape, melon, potato, onion, mushroom, banana among other items during routine check and they were sent back to India.

Vegetables and fruits are considered edible if the inhibition rate is less than 35 percent. If the inhibition rate is 35 to 45 percent, such vegetables are considered edible only after the inhibition rate drops to 35 percent during retest after quarantining for at least 5 days. Officials say that if the inhibition rate does not reach the specified limit within that period, it is sent back.

The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control, which is responsible for testing the amount of toxins present in the food entering through the checkpoint, complains that it has not been able to work effectively due to inadequate staffing.

Senior Food Research Officer of the department Bimal Kumar Dahal said that the work is not effective as there is not enough staff at the office. “Our office in Bhairahawa has a total of 11 employees. The 11 employees are responsible for testing the quality of food produced in the domestic market as well as testing pesticides on commodities imported from India,” he said.

He added that the higher workload on both fronts due to the small number of employees has reduced the effectiveness of checking. He said, “There is a risk of poisonous vegetables entering the country if the results are not obtained in time. So far, no applicants have applied for the vacancies.”

The Government of Nepal is setting up a separate pesticide laboratory at the checkpoints to test toxins on imported goods. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has given the responsibility to the department since last October. Hundreds of samples are brought to the food offices in Butwal, Bhairahawa, Kapilbastu and Birgunj every day for testing. However, due to lack of staff, the quality of work is constantly compromised.

Doctors say that eating poisonous vegetables and fruits has adverse effects on human health. Dr Arjun Budhathoki, cardiologist at Bir Hospital says that the toxins used in vegetables and fruits affect all parts of the human body and should be avoided at all costs.

“There is no part in our body that is not affected by toxins. Consumption of highly toxic vegetables mainly causes heart, skin, nerve related diseases, menstrual and reproductive problems in women and also plays a role in all types of cancers,” said Dr Budhathoki. Therefore, to avoid this, vegetables should be washed at least 5 times with clean or salt water or water mixed with potassium.