The Jalpaiguri District Small Tea Growers’ Association has urged the West Bengal Agriculture Department to completely stop the sale and use of Monocrotophos, a highly hazardous pesticide commonly known as ‘Monosil’, in tea cultivation. The association submitted a memorandum to the deputy director of agriculture on Monday, seeking immediate action against the sale and use of the banned chemical in Jalpaiguri and other parts of north Bengal.
Association general secretary Bijoygopal Chakraborty said Monocrotophos was still being sold and used in some tea-growing areas and that residues had reportedly been detected in tea samples. Growers are concerned that such findings could affect the safety, quality and export prospects of north Bengal tea. The association has proposed forming a district-level ‘No Monosil, No Monocrotophos Task Force’ involving the agriculture department, administration, law enforcement agencies and small tea growers to prevent the chemical’s sale and use.
The demand comes after some bought-leaf factories and tea processing units temporarily stopped purchasing leaves from growers over concerns about pesticide residues. Purchasers, including major tea companies, require Maximum Residue Limit compliance certificates to ensure consumer safety and meet quality and export standards. The association has also called for regular surveillance, awareness campaigns and training programmes for growers. Around 50,000 small tea growers in north Bengal contribute more than half of the region’s tea production, making pesticide compliance crucial for the industry’s future.
