With a quality check confirming the presence of pesticides in the cumin seeds stock procured by it, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to cancel its contract for purchasing the raw material and engage another agency. The board is yet to receive the pesticide-laced stock.
According to TDB officials, an order has been issued to purchase cumin seeds from the society that supplied the condiment last year. “The decision is based on a laboratory test of the cumin seed samples from the new stock. The stock that we received last season was of good quality and hence the same distributor is being engaged again. This distributor is awaiting clearance from the Food Safety department to transport the new stock,” said an official.
