Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu announced that the Ministry of Food Processing Industries will provide financial support for establishing 100 NABL-accredited food testing laboratories across India by the financial year 2025-26. This initiative, part of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), aims to enhance food safety standards and support agricultural producers.
Speaking at the inauguration of a food testing lab at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University in Bathinda, Bittu underscored the importance of such facilities in ensuring food products meet safety benchmarks and are free from contaminants and pathogens.
The PMKSY scheme has earmarked Rs. 503.47 crore for 205 food testing lab projects. Of these, 169 projects have been completed, with Rs. 349.21 crore disbursed so far. The upcoming labs will cater to regulatory bodies such as the FSSAI, Export Inspection Council (EIC), and APEDA, while also aligning with international standards like those set by the USFDA and EU regulations.
Farmers and producers involved in key sectors like citrus fruits, green peas, cauliflower, milk products, basmati rice, wheat, and oilseeds are expected to benefit significantly. The improved quality assurance mechanisms are set to enhance exports, increase farmers’ incomes, and create technical job opportunities.
Highlighting Punjab’s growth in food processing, Bittu revealed that the ministry has sanctioned 24 cold chain projects worth Rs 553 crore, three agro-processing clusters valued at Rs. 70 crore, 16 food processing units involving Rs 432 crore investment, and 10 food testing labs costing Rs. 48 crore.
In total, Punjab has received approval for 61 projects under PMKSY, amounting to Rs. 1,557 crore, with Rs. 419 crore allocated as grants.