41 labs of Karnataka’s agriculture dept secure NABL accreditation

Bengaluru: To ensure global standards in agricultural quality control, Karnataka’s Agriculture Department has secured NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accreditation for 41 of its 52 laboratories across the state for 2025-26. 

These facilities include soil, fertiliser, pesticide and seed testing laboratories. Of the 30 soil health laboratories functioning under the department, 29 have already received NABL recognition, providing farmers with highly reliable soil analysis for effective fertilizer management. 

Global accuracy

Speaking to DH, Commissioner of Agriculture Y S Patil stated that the recognition guarantees that the seeds, fertilisers and pesticides used by farmers are tested with global accuracy. 

“This accreditation confirms our labs have trained personnel, calibrated equipment and validated testing methods. It ensures the products sold in the market are of high quality, protecting farmers from sub-standard materials,” he explained. 

Director of the Agriculture Department, G T Putra, added that the recognition is vital for legal and regulatory purposes. “NABL recognised labs are trusted by courts as legal evidence.” 

“When lab technicians receive a sample, they prepare it by grinding or filtering it, then double check that their high-tech machines are perfectly calibrated before testing. Using scientifically proven methods, they measure the exact nutrients in soil or the strength of a pesticide to see if it matches what the manufacturer promised on the label,” he added. 

To ensure there are no mistakes, they often test the same sample twice or run a blank test for comparison. If the results show the product is of poor quality, the technician’s report becomes a sole legal document that helps the government take action against dishonest sellers. 

A lab technician explained: “Samples usually fail because the most-common reason is adulteration, where a pesticide or fertiliser is diluted, meaning it is not strong enough to kill pests or nourish crops. Sometimes, dishonest manufacturers add fillers like sand or clay to make more profit, or the product is found to be contaminated with harmful heavy metals that can ruin the soil.” 

“For seeds, the issue is low germination rate, because they are stored poorly or are too old. Ultimately, in the lab, we catch products that are substandard, ensuring that farmers don’t waste their hard-earned money on materials that are weak, fake, or even dangerous to their land,” he added. 

The department has notified 4,028 inspectors across the state to implement the Insecticide Act, the Fertiliser Act and the Seeds Act. These inspectors — all BSc (Agriculture) graduates — collect random samples from shops and dealers. 

“When these samples are sent to an NABL-accredited lab, the results are unquestionable,” a department official explained. “It protects the farmer from substandard manufacturing. If the content of a pesticide or fertiliser is found to be below the declared value, the accreditation gives us the legal backing to file cases against manufacturers with confidence.” 

The department is currently processing the remaining 11 laboratories to bring them under the NABL umbrella by the end of the current financial year.