Violations of pesticide residue standards in the harvest have been identified in Kashmir.

The results of official tests conducted under the Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at National Level (MPRNL) program between 2023 and 2026 showed that 58 out of 1,489 analyzed fruit and vegetable samples in Jammu and Kashmir did not meet established safety standards. The non-compliance rate in the region was 3.9%, which exceeds the national average of 3.1%.

Experts attribute these figures to the practice of early harvesting. Farmers often begin harvesting without observing the recommended pre-harvest interval (PHI) after applying chemicals to the crops. For instance, a farmer in Pulwama harvested apples four days after applying a fungicide that requires an interval of more than 20 days.

Over the last 10–15 years, the intensity of pesticide use in Kashmir has increased significantly. While previously 6–7 treatments were carried out per growing season, the number now reaches 12–14. Additional spraying also affects vegetable crops grown between apple trees. As experts note, in addition to 10 scheduled treatments between March and November, farmers often conduct 15 to 20 extra unscheduled applications.

Professor of Plant Pathology at SKUAST-K, Tariq Rasool Rather, emphasizes that observing pre-harvest intervals is essential to reduce residue concentrations to safe levels. Under the HADP-18 project "Minimizing Pesticide Use in Agriculture," pre-harvest intervals for the most common products were included in the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) guidelines. According to Rather, the implementation of training programs on the rational use of chemicals has allowed for a 25% reduction in their application volume in Kashmir between 2022 and 2025.

Representatives of the Department of Horticulture remind that adhering to prescribed dosages and pre-harvest intervals is a mandatory requirement. Excessive or indiscriminate pesticide application, combined with premature harvesting, directly increases the risk of produce exceeding maximum residue limits.