Govt to establish 100 NABL-accredited food testing labs

The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will support the establishment of 100 new NABL-accredited food testing laboratories. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will support the establishment of 100 new NABL-accredited food testing laboratories across India in FY 2025-26 to enhance food safety and quality. Announced by Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu, this initiative falls under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), which has already funded 169 labs.

Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries, Ravneet Singh Bittu, announced that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) will provide financial support for setting up 100 new NABL-accredited food testing laboratories across India in FY 2025-26. This initiative aims to enhance food safety and quality.

While inaugurating a world-class food testing lab at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bittu emphasized the significance of food testing in maintaining safety standards. “Food testing is vital for ensuring that food products meet safety standards and are free from harmful contaminants and pathogens,” he stated.

This initiative aligns with the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), under which Rs 503.47 crore has been allocated for 205 lab projects. Of these, 169 are completed, with Rs 349.21 crore disbursed. These labs cater to regulatory requirements of FSSAI, EIC, APEDA, and international agencies like USFDA and EU regulations.

Farmers and producers of citrus fruits, green peas, cauliflower, carrots (fresh and frozen), milk products, basmati rice, wheat, millets, mustard, sunflower oilseeds, and shrimp will benefit from these facilities. These labs ensure global compliance, boost exports, and enhance food quality, increasing farmers’ income and creating skilled jobs.

The Bathinda lab, with a Rs 253.12 lakh budget and Rs 191.259 lakh disbursed, features advanced technologies like GC-MS/MS, ICP-OES, HPLC, and UV spectrophotometers for testing contaminants.

Bittu highlighted Punjab’s food processing sector growth, mentioning 24 cold chain projects worth Rs 553 crore, agro-processing clusters of Rs 70 crore, and food testing labs worth Rs 48 crore. Punjab has 61 PMKSY-approved projects totaling Rs 1,557 crore with a Rs 419 crore grant.

Under the PLI Scheme, six factories in Punjab committed Rs 126.31 crore investments. Over 2,500 micro-entrepreneurs received subsidies under PMFME, while 1,296 SHG members secured Rs 3.99 crore seed capital. Bathinda and Mansa focus on honey and milk-based products under the “One District, One Product” initiative.

Loans of Rs 142.3 crore were disbursed in Bathinda and Rs 72.15 crore in Mansa, with SHGs receiving Rs 75 lakh and Rs 18 lakh, respectively, under PMFME. Bittu also attended an exhibition by PMFME beneficiaries.

Dignitaries at the event included Dr Sandeep Kansal, Ranjit Singh, Rajnish Tuli, Jitendra Dongre, Amit Joshi, Sarup Chand Singla, Parampal Kaur, and S. Dayal Sodhi.