Calls for transparency, quality standards
JAMMU, JULY 24: Director Agriculture Jammu Anil Gupta Friday reviewed the functioning and quality control mechanisms of the Soil Testing Laboratory (STL), Pesticide Testing Laboratory (PTL) and Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratory (FQCL) working under the Agriculture Chemist, Directorate of Agriculture, at Krishi Bhawan, Talab Tillo, Jammu.
He inspected all three laboratories, examining testing procedures, analytical facilities, record maintenance, laboratory hygiene, equipment functionality, compliance with quality control protocols and workflow and discussed operational challenges with the laboratory personnel.
The Director, as per an official statement, instructed the officers concerned to achieve the assigned testing targets within the stipulated timeframe while maintaining technical efficiency, scientific accuracy and transparency. Laboratory reports, he said, must be generated strictly as per the prescribed quality protocols to ensure the credibility of analytical results.
He directed the Analysts to bring additional pesticide molecules under the scope of analysis at the Pesticide Testing Laboratory so that a wider range of formulations can be monitored and called for strengthening the Mini Soil Testing Laboratories established under HADP as well as facilities for testing organic fertilisers, bio-fertilisers and pesticide residues. Robust testing infrastructure, he said, would ensure the quality and safety of agricultural inputs and support sustainable farming practices.
Agriculture Chemist Roshan Lal informed the Director that all three laboratories have been accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and are continuously upgrading their infrastructure, analytical capabilities and quality assurance practices to provide accurate and timely testing services to the farming community.
The Director was accompanied by Agriculture Chemist Roshan Lal, SMS-RL Krishan Kant, Assistant Soil Chemist (STL) Chander Shekhar, Assistant Agriculture Chemist (PTL) Ravinder Gupta, Assistant Biochemist (FQCL) Deepak Singh, Analysts, besides other officers and staff of the department.
