Glyphosate files: Are imported pulses exposing Indians to health risk?

Published 12 June 2026 · india

Is the health of ordinary Indians less important than international trade agreements and corporate profits? This question arises from examining official documents of the Food

Is the health of ordinary Indians less important than international trade agreements and corporate profits? This question arises from examining official documents of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). A double standard appears to exist in international food trade. While many developed countries enforce stringent residue standards on Indian exports, India has relaxed regulations to permit higher levels of glyphosate residues in imported pulses and soybeans. Glyphosate is the same herbicide that the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified as a "probable carcinogen". Read Full Story Government records suggest that regulators were aware of the concerns. Documents from the FSSAI's import division state that "imported pulses are suspected to contain high levels of the herbicide glyphosate, which could have a serious health impact on Indian consumers." Despite this warning, India adopted residue limits that allowed imports containing higher levels of the chemical. Why the leniency on glyphosate? India's default rule states that any pesticide without a specified residue limit is subject to a threshold of 0.01 mg/kg. In practical terms, even one gram of a chemical in a tonne of pulses could constitute a violation. However, glyphosate was treated differently. India adopted the maximum residue limits (MRLs) recommended by Codex, the international food standards body. These limits permit glyphosate residues of up to 5 mg/kg in lentils and peas, and up to 20 mg/kg in soybeans.

Critics argue that this represents a significant departure from India's otherwise stringent approach to pesticide residues. Experts warn of long-term exposure Experts say that because pulses are consumed daily across India, even low-level exposure over long periods could become a public health concern. A key question arises: if India has imposed strict restrictions on the use of glyphosate by domestic farmers, why is the same level of scrutiny not applied to imported pulses? According to regulations issued by the Central Insecticides Board and Registration Committee (CIB&RC), glyphosate is not legally approved for use on food crops such as rice, wheat and pulses. It is permitted only in tea plantations and non-crop areas, including fallow land and field bunds, for weed control. However, reports from several states suggest that the herbicide is being used illegally in crops such as cotton, sugarcane, maize and fruit plantations. The international trade paradox The controversy also highlights broader questions about international trade standards. Countries such as those in the European Union and Canada apply extremely strict residue standards when importing products like tea and rice from India. Shipments can be rejected if residue levels exceed prescribed limits. At the same time, exporters from countries such as Canada and Australia are able to sell pulses to India under the higher glyphosate residue limits adopted by New Delhi.