Rice grain from India
How often official samples of rice grain grown in India break the EU maximum residue level for pesticides, by why the sample was taken.
In 2024, 17 of 477 EU border checks (3.6%) found a pesticide above the legal limit, while the pair was under increased EU checks (10% of consignments). The year before (2023) it was 18% of 354 checks. Across 34 random market samples taken by 3 EU countries, 5.9% were above the limit (95% interval 1.6%–19%). The substance found above the limit most often was tricyclazole (76 samples). UK supermarkets: 15 samples since 2021, 0 above the UK limit.
EU border checks by year
| Year | Checks | Over the limit | Check frequency in force |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 57 | 23% | 5% (Annex I) |
| 2023 | 354 | 18% | 5% (Annex I) → 10% (Annex I) |
| 2024 | 477 | 3.6% | 10% (Annex I) |
Checks: consignments sampled at EU border posts under the increased-control regime of Reg. (EU) 2019/1793 and reported to EFSA by the member state that checked them. A percentage is shown only for years with at least 30 checks; below that, the count. "Within uncertainty": above the limit but compliant once the lab's measurement uncertainty is allowed for, not counted as over.
Substances found above the limit
| Substance | Where found | Samples |
|---|---|---|
| Tricyclazole | border checks | 76 |
| Thiamethoxam | border checks | 45 |
| Chlorpyrifos | border checks | 16 |
| Imidacloprid | border checks | 8 |
| Propiconazole | border checks | 4 |
| Buprofezin | border checks | 3 |
| Fenobucarb | border checks | 2 |
| Thifluzamide | border checks | 2 |
| Thiamethoxam | random samples | 2 |
| Tricyclazole | random samples | 2 |
The limit applied is the one the lab reported at the time of sampling. Limits change; check the current value in the EU Pesticides Database.
Random market samples
2 of 34 random samples were above the limit: 5.9% (95% interval 1.6%–19%). Samples taken by BE, FR, NL in 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, pooled.
Also on file, never turned into a rate because inspectors chose them: 37 risk-based and 26 follow-up samples.
UK supermarket samples
| Month | Retailer | Residues found (mg/kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-03 | Waitrose | none found |
| 2026-03 | Waitrose | isoprothiolane 0.1 (MRL = 6) |
| 2026-02 | Sainsbury's | none found |
| 2025-03 | Other shops | carbendazim (sum) 0.007 (MRL = 0.01*); dinotefuran 0.02 (MRL = 8); imidacloprid 0.02 (MRL = 0.39); isoprothiolane 0.02 (MRL = 6); tebuconazole 0.06 (MRL = 1.5); tricyclazole 0.09 (MRL = 0.3); thiamethoxam 0.05 (MRL = 5) |
| 2023-10 | Tesco | isoprothiolane 0.3 (MRL = 6); tebuconazole 0.03 (MRL = 1.5) |
| 2023-09 | Sainsbury's | none found |
| 2023-09 | Tesco | none found |
| 2023-08 | Sainsbury's | isoprothiolane 0.17 (MRL = 6); tebuconazole 0.01 (MRL = 1.5) |
| 2023-06 | Asda | none found |
| 2023-03 | Tesco | none found |
| 2023-03 | Tesco | none found |
| 2023-02 | Morrisons | isoprothiolane 0.04 (MRL = 6); tebuconazole 0.02 (MRL = 1.5) |
| 2021-09 | Iceland | isoprothiolane 0.1 (MRL = 6) |
| 2021-09 | Iceland | isoprothiolane 0.1 (MRL = 6) |
| 2021-01 | Sainsbury's | none found |
Defra's Pesticide Residues in Food programme. UK limits mirror the EU's as retained in 2021 and may since differ.
Testing a shipment?
The substances listed on this page are the ones that most often break the EU limit on this product from this origin. A lab panel that covers them is the cheapest way to avoid a rejection.
Exporter residue report: India
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Data
Download every sample behind this page (CSV): series, reporting country, year, month, over the limit, substances. How each sample is classified.