Threatened by US rejections, rice exporters to educate farmers

JAMMU: Threatened by rising rejection and holding up of rice consignments in US due to higher than permissible pesticide residues, the Rs 24,000 crore rice export industry has decided to educate farmers on the issue.

The exporters will advice them to adopt good agriculture practice by controlling the pesticide residues or face rejection by exporters.

"We are concerned over the increasing rejection of export quality rice consignments and their detaining by the USA because of the pesticide residues found above permissible limit in the processed grain", Executive Director, All India Rice Exporters Association ( AIREA), Ranjen Sundaresen, told reporters here today.

There has been rejection of over 2,000 metric tonnes of export quality rice in US due to this reason, he said.

Exporters are even contemplating pre-testing the produce before buying it from producers.

"If this trend continue, other countries will also reject our rice commodity", he said adding that warning bells have tolled for farmers particularly those growing Basmati in some parts of the country.

We will be forced not to lift the rice from various places in the country which will have pesticide residues above permissible limit, Sundaresen said adding "the losers will be ultimately farmers who will not get due price as per the international market".