After China says no, exporters urge Andhra Pradesh to curb high-risk pesticides in chillies

A worker on a pile of dry chillies in Guntur. File | Photo credit: GN Rao

The Chili Exporters Association of India is urging the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately ban or limit the use of high-risk pesticide molecules in export-oriented chilli cultivation, warning that repeated pesticide residue violations could threaten India’s position in key international markets, particularly China.

In a statement submitted to the state Department of Agriculture, Sericulture, Cooperation and Marketing on June 15, the association said export consignments of Indian dried chillies, particularly from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, are increasingly facing rejection, delays and increased scrutiny due to pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits.

Molecules of concern

The association, led by its president Velagapudi Sambasiva Rao and general secretary Thota Ramakrishna, has identified methamidophos, acephate, monocrotophos, profenofos, triazophos, ethion, chlorpyrifos and Fipronil as molecules of concern. Specifically, he demanded a ban on the use of acephate and methamidophos in chilli crops intended for export.

Exporters described the issue as a “farm-to-export supply chain issue” and called for immediate intervention at the production, advisory, testing, procurement and policy levels. In consultation with the Spices Board, Agricultural Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Plant Protection Authorities, a residue compliant chilli production protocol was designed.

The association recommended village-level awareness campaigns in major chilli-growing areas such as Guntur, Palnadu, Prakasam, Kurnool and Nandyal, along with pre-harvest residue testing, batch-by-batch sampling and stricter monitoring of pesticide vendors.

Mr. Ramakrishna told The Hindu that chilli cultivation should strictly follow the recommended dosage of pesticides under Integrated Pest Management (IPM). He added that farmers should follow Integrated Nutrition Management (INM), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Integrated Crop Management (ICM).

Emphasizing the need for traceability, exporters have suggested maintaining farmer details, spray records, harvest dates and lot numbers for each export-oriented lot. They warned that continued residue violations could undermine buyer confidence and affect farmers, exporters, processors, traders, logistics providers and foreign exchange earnings, besides damaging the global reputation of Andhra Pradesh chillies.

The representation follows the recent rejection by Chinese authorities of three shipments containing five containers. However, in a formal interaction with The Hindu on Tuesday (June 16, 2026), Guntur Agriculture Market Committee Chairman Kurra Appa Rao played down these concerns and said the rejections were negligible compared to the total volume of exports to China. At the same time, he claimed that most farmers were using permitted levels of pesticides.

“Exports to China continued uninterrupted both before and after the rejection. Some people are exaggerating it to suppress chilli prices in the Guntur market and earn higher profits,” he said, adding that occasional rejections were common in the vast international trade.

Vagwala Sandeep Kumar, managing partner of Allegiance India, which exports chillies from Guntur to China, told The Hindu that rejecting the limited number of containers would not significantly affect the market. But he called on the government to promote pesticide-free cultivation and expand testing laboratory infrastructure to meet global standards.

Published – 17 Jun 2026 11:18 IST