Lok Sabha Question No. 2595 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-10
Subject: NABL
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Vincent H Pala

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2595 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th MARCH, 2021

## NABL

## 2595. SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािण�य एवं उ�ोग मं�ी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories(NABL) accredited food testing laboratories for export in the country and their state-wise distribution;
- (b) whether there  is  any  food  testing  laboratory  or  referral  laboratory  for  quality inspection and certification for international export of agri-based products in any of the North-Eastern states to ensure compliance with sanitary and phyto-sanitary(SPS) requirements;
- (c) if  not,  whether this does  not significantly  increase cost of small exporters to send products for testing to another state and whether the Government has conducted any study regarding the same;
- (d) whether there is any plan to set up such laboratories in each state to boost their agriexports and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the measures taken by the Government to improve the infrastructure for testing and quality control in the country in order to comply to international SPS standards and boost agri-exports?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh gjnhi flag iqjh½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

- (a) : The number of National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)  accredited  food  testing  laboratories  for  export  in  the  country  under  integrated assessment for testing laboratories and their state-wise distribution,is given below:-
- (b), (c) & (d): There is one food testing Laboratory authorised by APEDA in the State of Assam for quality inspection and certification for international export of agri-based products in the North Eastern States to ensure compliance with Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary (SPS) requirements. In addition, the two laboratories in Kolkata also cater to the testing requirements of exporters in the North Eastern Region.
- (e) Measures  for  improving  infrastructure  for  testing  and  quality  control  to  comply  with international SPS standards and boost agri-exports is a continuous process.  From time to time, the Government  provides financial and technical support to improve high precision instrumentation and analytical competence to its authorised labs for their upgradation to ensure quality control.

| S.No.   | State          |   Number of NABL Accredited Laboratories |
|---------|----------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh |                                       07 |
| 2       | Delhi          |                                       05 |
| 3       | Gujarat        |                                       10 |
| 4       | Haryana        |                                       11 |
| 5       | Kerala         |                                       05 |
| 6       | Karnataka      |                                       07 |
| 7       | Madhya Pradesh |                                       02 |
| 8       | Maharashtra    |                                       15 |
| 9       | Odisha         |                                       01 |
| 10      | Punjab         |                                       01 |
| 11      | Rajasthan      |                                       01 |
| 12      | Telengana      |                                       04 |
| 13      | Tamil Nadu     |                                       07 |
| 14      | Uttar Pradesh  |                                       01 |
| 15      | West Bengal    |                                       03 |
| Total   | Total          |                                       80 |

****