isri.earthSafe food from our fields
Seven stages · one food chain

Every hand that touches the crop shares the plate.

Most residue failures start with three farm errors: a pesticide the destination does not allow, too many sprays, or harvesting before the waiting period is over. Processing and storage then add their own risks.

1
Before the season · farmer, FPO, exporter

Plan for the plate it will reach

  • Decide the market first, then build the spray schedule against that market's limits.
  • Use only CIB&RC-registered products with a label claim for the crop.
  • Keep a do-not-use list for export plots.
  • Choose resistant varieties and treated seed from known sources.
  • Register plots on GrapeNet, AnarNet or HortiNet where they apply.
Never
  • Pick a spray because the shop recommends it.
  • Use a pesticide on an export plot without checking the destination MRL and buyer rules.
2
Growing · farmer

Spray only when the pest is there

  • Scout weekly; spray only above the economic threshold.
  • Use pheromone, sticky and light traps, Trichoderma, Beauveria and neem first.
  • Rotate chemical groups to slow resistance.
  • Follow the label dose and calibrate the sprayer each season.
  • Write every spray in the record: date, product, dose, area, waiting period.
Never
  • Spray by calendar.
  • Double the dose "to be safe".
  • Tank-mix without advice.
3
Harvest · farmer, labourers

Wait, test, then harvest

  • Count the label waiting period from the last spray. For export, follow the market-specific plan; a longer wait alone does not guarantee a foreign limit is met.
  • Send a pre-harvest sample to an NABL-accredited lab.
  • Use clean, food-grade crates and tarpaulins.
  • Workers wash hands and use toilets away from produce.
Never
  • Harvest into fertiliser or pesticide bags.
  • Dry produce on roads or bare soil.
4
Drying and sorting · farmer, aggregator

Dry fast, sort hard, keep lots apart

  • Dry spices, grains and pulses quickly to a safe moisture level to stop mould and aflatoxin.
  • Remove damaged, mouldy or insect-bored produce.
  • Keep each farmer's lot labelled and separate until tested.
Never
  • Spray water on dried chillies to reduce breakage.
  • Mix an untested lot into a tested one.
5
Processing and packing · processor

Run the unit like a kitchen

  • Approve suppliers on spray records and test reports.
  • Use steam or other approved methods for microbial reduction.
  • Separate treated, untreated and organic lines.
  • Potable water, cleaning schedules, licensed pest control.
  • A HACCP plan that names residues and contaminants as hazards.
Never
  • Use ethylene oxide to sterilise or fumigate.
  • Allow eating or smoking in process areas.
6
Storage and transport · warehouse, transporter

Store food as food

  • Pallets, off walls, dry, ventilated and pest-proof.
  • Fumigate only with approved fumigants by licensed operators; aerate and record.
  • Inspect containers before loading: clean, dry, odour-free.
Never
  • Store or carry food with pesticides, fertiliser or fuel.
  • Release fumigated stock before aeration and gas checks are complete.
7
Before shipment · exporter

Prove it before it sails

  • Test every lot against the destination's list at an accredited lab.
  • Get the Spices Board health certificate for EU and UK spice shipments.
  • Keep retention samples for the product's shelf life.
  • Trace one step back to the plot and one step forward to the buyer.
  • Track EU alerts weekly and record a corrective action for each.
Never
  • Ship on a supplier's certificate alone.
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Aquaculture · shrimp and fish farmers

Healthy ponds, not antibiotics

  • Buy only CAA-approved inputs and record every feed, probiotic and treatment.
  • Prevent disease with biosecurity, sensible stocking, water quality and SPF seed.
  • Test for antibiotic residues before harvest; respect withdrawal periods.
  • Ice and chill at harvest; move to the plant hygienically.
Never
  • Use chloramphenicol or nitrofurans. They are banned for food animals in India and have zero tolerance abroad.