The Agriculture Ministry will soon be embarking on a pilot program to screen pesticide residue on vegetables and fruits sold at municipal markets around the country.

As part of the program, the Ministry will use the Pesticide Test Kit at its Fiji Agricultural Chemistry Laboratory based at the Koronivia Research Station where trial runs are being conducted on for pesticide screening.

Acting Director Crop Research, Dr. Apaitia Macanawai says the laboratory test will conduct qualitative analysis.

He says a pilot program for pesticide screening will start in January.

Dr Macanawai says they are planning to start pesticide screening on vegetables and fruits from the Sigatoka, Suva and the Nausori municipal markets.

The Ministry will later move to other municipal markets in other towns.

Dr Macanawai says this pesticide screening will give them an indication of whether pesticide residue is present or not.