Kashmir's Agri varsity pitches farm-gate pesticide residue checks to J&K govt

Majid Jahangir Srinagar, Nov 14 (UNI) Seeking to ensure that apples and other fruits and vegetables reaching consumers meet prescribed food safety standards, Kashmir's premier agricultural university has submitted a policy proposal to the Jammu and Kashmir government for monitoring pesticide residues in horticultural produce at the farm gate. The proposal by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) envisages testing produce at its point of origin, before it enters the market chain, with the aim of safeguarding public health and protecting the credibility of the Valley's horticulture sector. SKUAST-K Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai said the…