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Pesticide tests on veggies from India halted due to lab issues, says Minister Yadav

Kathmandu, July 8

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Matrika Prasad Yadav, said the government decided not to implement its decision to conduct the pesticide residue test in imported vegetables and fruits along the Nepal-India border for the time being because of lab issues.

Speaking at the National Assembly on Monday, Yadav said only the Central  Department of Food Technology and Quality Control had a well-equipped lab to conduct such kind of tests and a mechanism under the Ministry of Agriculture was technically not competent to deal with the matter.

“If we stop bringing in vegetables and fruits from India, we will be imposing a blockade on ourselves,” he said.

Yadav, later in a press conference at the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Supply asked for forgiveness as he said that the decision to halt testing was made hastily. He further blamed secretaries working at the PMO, Agriculture and his own ministry of keeping him in the dark before making a decision.

Minister Yadav added that the decision to stop testing was not made under pressure from the Prime Minister or the Indian Embassy. “The secretaries didn’t tell me. I am also to blame as I didn’t check whether we had the infrastructure or not. As a minister I have to take all the blame,” he said.

He added that he did not want the citizens of the country to eat poisonous vegetables. “I made a big mistake. If the citizens will feel happy by slapping me they can do so,” he said.

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