Fiji’s Ministry of Agriculture has embarked on a pilot program to screen pesticide residue on vegetables and fruits at municipal markets around the country.
As part of the program, the Ministry will use the Pesticide Test Kit at its Fiji Agricultural Chemistry Laboratory based at the Koronivia Research Station where trial runs are being conducted on it for pesticide screening.
Acting Director Crop Research Dr. Apaitia Macanawai says the laboratory test will conduct qualitative analysis, and that the pesticide screening will start on vegetables and fruits from the Sigatoka, Suva and the Nausori municipal markets. Later they will move to other municipal markets.
Dr Macaniwai says that the Ministry is also working closely with the International Atomic Energy Agency for a project that will begin in 2020. This project will help in the Establishment of a Food Safety Laboratory for Analysis of Pesticide Residue in fruits, vegetables and root crops for quantitative analysis
According to fijivillage.com¸ the Ministry of Agriculture will also work with the Ministry of Health and Medical Services on standards and regulations to confiscate vegetables found to be unsafe.
