Andhra Pradesh's Agricultural Labs Receive NABL Accreditation Boosting Quality Assurance

Strategic Insights -

The Department of Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh has achieved a significant milestone with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) certification for three of its key testing facilities. The accredited laboratories, namely the Fertilizer Control Laboratory (FCO Lab) in Bapatla, Bio & Organic Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratory (BOFQCL) in Nellore, and Pesticide Testing Laboratory (PTL) in Kurnool, have demonstrated competence in carrying out chemical analysis of fertilizers and pesticides under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards. This achievement reflects the state's commitment to upholding international benchmarks in agricultural input testing and aims to strengthen farmers' trust in fertilizer and pesticide quality.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Department of Agriculture in Andhra Pradesh has received NABL certification for three of its key testing facilities: FCO Lab in Bapatla, BOFQCL in Nellore, and PTL in Kurnool.
  • The accredited laboratories demonstrate competence in carrying out chemical analysis of fertilizers and pesticides under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards.
  • Director of Agriculture, Dilli Rao, emphasized the accreditation is a testament to the dedication of laboratory teams and a commitment to extending NABL accreditation to all agricultural labs across the state.
  • The accreditation will help reduce the circulation of substandard inputs and improve crop productivity.
  • The certified laboratories are expected to maintain stringent quality control norms, thereby enhancing farmers' trust in fertilizer, bio-fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and pesticide quality.
  • The Department of Agriculture aims to extend NABL accreditation to all agricultural labs across the state in a phased manner.

Statistics:

  • Three laboratories have received NABL accreditation: FCO Lab in Bapatla, BOFQCL in Nellore, and PTL in Kurnool.
  • The accreditation is under the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standards for chemical analysis of fertilizers and pesticides.
  • The accredited laboratories aim to maintain international benchmarks in agricultural input testing.
  • The accreditation is expected to strengthen farmers' trust in fertilizer, bio-fertilizer, organic fertilizer, and pesticide quality.
  • The certification is a result of the Department of Agriculture's commitment to quality assurance in the agricultural sector.

Sources:

  • "NABL Certification for Agricultural Labs Strengthens Farmers' Trust in Fertilizers", Metro India News Amaravati. (Cited as the primary source).
  • "National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)", official website ( No publication date was mentioned in the source).
  • "Indian National Press (Bombay) Pvt. Ltd.", official website. (No publication date was mentioned in the source).