To contain the flow of vegetables and fruits with high residues of pesticides from neighbouring states, Kerala government would make it mandatory that wholesale traders reveal the source of produces they fetch to the state markets. The decision to bring in a slew of steps to prevent the transportation of pesticide-laden vegetables and fruits from other states was taken against the backdrop of the Maggi noodles row, which has brought the issue of food safety on the front burner. A meeting of officials of civil supplies and health departments has decided to introduce registration for vegetable/fruit traders as per the Food Safety Act. The traders have to register their vehicles used to bring in the provisions from markets and farms in other states. Kerala is heavily depending upon the other states for the daily supply of vegetables, fruits, poultry and dairy products. The food safety department has convened a meeting of wholesale traders in Kerala on Wednesday as part of sensitizing them about procuring pesticide-free provisions from Tamil Nadu. All inter-state fruit and vegetable traders would have to get licence by 15 of July. Only registered traders would be allowed to bring vegetables from other states. They would have to reveal the market or the farm from where they procure the produce, said department sources. Recently, a delegation from Kerala Food Safety Department had visited the vegetable fields in Tamil Nadu and found that pesticide residue in the harvested produce was 5 to 10 times higher than the permissible level.
