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

In a representation submitted to the State’s Agriculture, Sericulture, Cooperation and Marketing Department on June 15, the association said export consignments of Indian dry chillies, especially from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, were increasingly facing rejection, delays and enhanced scrutiny because of pesticide residues exceeding permissible limits.

Molecules of concern

The association, led by its president Velagapudi Sambasiva Rao and general secretary Thota Ramakrishna, identified Methamidophos, Acephate, Monocrotophos, Profenofos, Triazophos, Ethion, Chlorpyrifos and Fipronil as molecules of concern. It specifically sought a ban on the use of Acephate and Methamidophos in chilli crops intended for export.

Describing the issue as a “farm-to-export supply chain problem”, the exporters called for immediate intervention at the production, advisory, testing, procurement and policy levels. They proposed a residue-compliant chilli production protocol in consultation with the Spices Board, agricultural universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and plant protection authorities.

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

Mr. Ramakrishna told The Hindu that chilli cultivation should strictly adhere to recommended pesticide dosages under Integrated Pest Management (IPM). He added that farmers should follow Integrated Nutrition Management (INM), Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Integrated Crop Management (ICM).

Emphasising the need for traceability, the exporters proposed maintaining farmer details, spray records, harvest dates and batch numbers for every export-oriented lot. They cautioned that continued residue violations could undermine buyer confidence, affecting 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 of three consignments, comprising five containers, by Chinese authorities. However, in a formal interaction with The Hindu on Tuesday (June 16, 2026), Guntur Agricultural Market Committee chairman Kurra Appa Rao downplayed the concerns, saying the rejections were negligible compared with the overall volume of exports to China. At the same time, he maintained that the majority of farmers had been using permissible levels of pesticides.

"Exports to China have continued uninterrupted before and after the rejections. Certain people are exaggerating the issue to suppress chilli prices at the Guntur market yard and gain higher profits," he said, adding that occasional rejections were common in large-scale international trade.

Vagwala Sandeep Kumar, managing partner of Allegiance India, who has been exporting chilli from Guntur to China, told The Hindu that the rejection of a limited number of containers would not significantly affect the market. He, however, urged the government to promote pesticide-free cultivation and expand testing laboratory infrastructure to meet global standards.