Excessive pesticide residue found in tomatoes sold in Attariya, 560 Kg destroyed

Dhangadhi: Tomatoes kept for sale at the Srijana & Rajesh Suppliers wholesale market in Attariya, Kailali, have been found to contain dangerously high levels of pesticides.

The batch of tomatoes, imported from Dang, was found to contain 95.67 percent organophosphate residue, according to Rajendra Prasad Bhatta, Deputy Technical Assistant at the Pesticide Residue Rapid Analysis Laboratory Unit in Attariya.

Bhatta explained that pesticide residue below 35 percent is considered safe for consumption, while residue levels between 35 to 45 percent may be consumed after a waiting period. However, anything above 45 percent is deemed hazardous and must be destroyed. As a result, all 560 kilograms of contaminated tomatoes were destroyed after the sample tests confirmed the excessive residue.

The destruction of the tomatoes was carried out in the presence of Godavari Municipality spokesperson Gopal Dutt Bhatta and other public representatives.