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Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu announced on Saturday in Chandigarh, Punjab that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries will provide financial support to establish 100 new NABL-accredited food testing labs across India in the 2025-26 fiscal year.

Inauguration of Food Testing Lab in Bathinda

Bittu, who inaugurated a food testing laboratory at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University in Bathinda district, emphasized the critical role of food testing in ensuring food safety. “Testing food is crucial to confirm that food items meet safety regulations and are free from harmful contaminants and pathogens,” Bittu stated in a release.

Government’s Larger Agenda: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)

This initiative is part of the government’s broader agenda under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), which has allocated Rs 503.47 crore for 205 laboratory projects. So far, 169 projects have been completed with Rs 349.21 crore allocated. These labs are vital for meeting the requirements of regulatory bodies like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the Export Inspection Council of India (EIC), the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), as well as international bodies such as the USFDA and EU standards.

Benefits for Farmers and Producers

Bittu, the Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries explained that farmers and producers of citrus fruits, green peas, cauliflower, fresh and frozen carrots, milk and dairy products, basmati rice, wheat, millets (including bajra and sorghum), mustard and sunflower oilseeds, and farm-raised shrimp would benefit from these advanced facilities. These labs help ensure compliance with international standards, facilitate exports, improve food quality, and increase farmers’ earnings while creating jobs for skilled technical workers.

Punjab’s Achievements in Food Processing Industry

Bittu also highlighted the achievements of Punjab’s food processing industry, noting that the ministry had approved 24 cold chain projects worth Rs 553 crore, three agro-processing cluster projects totalling Rs 70 crore, 16 food processing establishments with an investment of Rs 432 crore, and 10 food testing labs valued at Rs 48 crore. Under the PMKSY initiative, Punjab has received approval for 61 projects totalling Rs 1,557 crore, including a grant of Rs 419 crore.

Source: Rediff.com