Agro-chemical industry body questions NGO's 'pesticide in tea'

An agro-chemical industry body today termed "baseless" the recent claims by an environmental NGO over the use of pesticide in the cultivation of tea in India and said that the matter was more about "sensationalism than science".
At a news conference here, Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI), the apex body representing the crop protection industry in India, questioned Greenpeace India over its report that it had found pesticides in tea samples, with the NGO saying in response that CCFI was "worried" because their business interest was at risk.
CCFI said it has decided to take Greenpeace India to court for "refusing to share any evidence in support of its baseless allegations" of finding pesticides in tea samples.

An ecologist, Patrick Moore, told reporters that Greenpeace refuses to share the data and the laboratory which conducted the analysis. He questioned how a study could come into the public domain with accusations without being made available in the relevant quarters.
"Such NGOs are manufacturing misleading reports. These agencies are a threat to India's effort to safeguard its food security," Moore said.
CCFI Chairman Rajju Shroff said, "Unwillingness to share raw data with Indian scientists, authorities and the industry shows that Greenpeace's care is more about sensationalism than science. How can we be certain that this report is not false and fabricated if they won't show us the data?"

Terming such allegations "baseless", Greenpeace India said that CCFI was "worried" because it was their business interest which was at risk and they are not interested in public health and safety.
"Indian and international tea companies have committed to Greenpeace's recommendations on eliminating pesticides for tea cultivation.
"There is no role for CCFI as it is a dialogue between Greenpeace and the tea companies and the consumers. The response of the tea companies is not only to Greenpeace, but their commitment is to their consumers. That cannot be questioned," Neha Saigal, senior campaigner, Greenpeace India, told PTI.