KAILALI: Dhangadhi Sub-metropolitan City has destroyed 2,267 kilograms of mangoes found to be contaminated with pesticides.
The mangoes were destroyed following a joint monitoring by the Sub-metropolitan City Coordination Office, the Food Technology and Quality Control Office, Dhangadhi, and the Pesticide Residue Rapid Analysis Laboratory, Attariya, which detected pesticide contamination.
Mahesh Malla, head of the Consumer Welfare Protection Branch of the Sub-metropolitan City, said that inedible mangoes containing excessive pesticide residues were identified during monitoring at three fruit and vegetable markets within the city.
Samples of fruits and vegetables were collected and tested from the Shahid Gate Agricultural Produce Wholesale Market, Dakshinkali Marg Vegetable Market, and the market near the Dhangadhi intersection, Malla added.
He explained that pesticides were tested on okra, cucumber, pumpkin, bitter gourd, banana, grape, apple, pomegranate, and mango from the wholesale and retail markets. Mangoes deemed unfit were seized and destroyed.
Hareram Pradhan, chief of the Food Technology and Quality Control Office, stated that among fruits imported from India, a significant amount of pesticide residues were found in mango samples during testing.
Pradhan said that during joint monitoring, 18 samples of fruits and vegetables were collected from three markets using the mobile food laboratory.
Testing with a rapid analysis method showed that 61 percent of the mango samples were contaminated, leading to the destruction of 2,267 kilograms of mangoes.
No pesticide contamination was found in the remaining 17 samples, which were considered safe for consumption, Pradhan added.
He emphasized that the mangoes were destroyed because their high pesticide levels posed a health risk to the public.
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