The second pesticide residue analysis laboratory in the State is coming up at the College of Agriculture, Padannakkad, in the district.
The first public sector pesticide residue laboratory in the State is at Vellayani College of Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) in Thiruvananthapuram.
The effort is a major step towards checking increasing use of pesticide in fruits and vegetables. Agricultural Minister K.P. Mohanan will lay the foundation stone for the laboratory at the college at 10 a.m. on Friday.
The laboratory will facilitate periodical analysis of vegetables and fruits collected from various sources.
Report
The Vellayani college has been filing its report to the University and the State government to aid authorities in taking corrective measures as per the lab reports.
The pesticide residue analysis laboratory at Vellayani has also helped to enhance public awareness on the presence of pesticide residues in vegetables and fruits, KAU Vice-Chancellor P. Rajendran said.
Samples fron north
The laboratory coming up at the Padannakad agricultural college will take care of samples collected from north Kerala, Dr Rajendran said, adding the KAU was planning to soon set up a similar laboratory in Thrissur.
P. Karunakaran, MP, will inaugurate the two-day annual ‘Malabar Mango fest’, displaying diverse mango varieties and plants on the sidelines of the inaugural function.
The laboratory to facilitate periodical analysis
KAU planning another laboratory in Thrissur
