FSSAI Draft Rules Set Maximum Pesticide Residue Limits for Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid in Tea

Key facts

• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notified draft amendments proposing Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) for the pesticides Acetamiprid and Imidacloprid in tea.
• The draft Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on 16 October 2026, propose MRLs of 20 mg/kg (20 ppm) for Acetamiprid and 50 mg/kg (50 ppm) for Imidacloprid in tea.
• The proposed Acetamiprid limit of 20 ppm in tea is lower than the corresponding limits of 30 ppm in Japan and 50 ppm in the USA, while the Imidacloprid limit was formulated with reference to international Codex standards.
• Earlier regulatory measures included the delisting of 13 pesticides identified as having higher toxicity and the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Amendment Regulations, 2024.
• India's average pesticide use of less than 0.5 kg per hectare is significantly below the estimated global average of 2.38 kg per hectare and lower than levels in countries including Colombia, Brazil and the USA.
• Stakeholder comments have been invited on the draft regulations, which are subject to finalisation.