Controlling pesticide and other residues in herbs and spices 53
Fig. 2.4 Use of IPM strategies such as pheromone traps and border cropping to control insects
in a marigold field under the backward integration operations of AVT Natural products.Fig. 2.5 Marigold flowers for quality checking at the laboratory.detail. Each venture must develop quality control and monitoring systems suitable
for its operation. Management must prioritise monitoring procedures and decide how
often they should be carried out, in what locations and what should be inspected and
assessed. Checking product quality can take place before, during and immediately
after harvesting as well as at the time farmers grade their own production and when
the products reach the company’s processing or packaging facilities. Quality controls
may start as specifications in a written contract or as verbal explanations of quality
standards given in both pre-season and pre-harvest farmer-management meetings.
Some of the major causes of poor quality are failure to apply fertiliser, ineffective
weed and insect controls, disease, immature harvesting and indiscriminate grading
and packaging.