A MANUAL ON GUIDELINES FOR
ESTABLISHING GRADING LABORATORIES FOR FOODGRAINS, CEREALS, OILSEEDS AND SPICES.
Under Present agricultural marketing
system, introduction of grading, standardization and quality certification of
agricultural produce at the farm/market level is of utmost importance to
enhance the marketability of the produce and to enable the farmers to realise a
better price. This is the first
requirement to providing a major thrust in agricultural marketing. Further, for promotion of negotiable
warehousing system, it would be necessary to measure the grades of commodities
and fix up rates on the basis of quality.
Even in case of future contract for supply of agricultural commodities,
it is possible with reference to different quality grades. In view of the proposed plan of the
government to encourage establishment of grading laboratories for testing of
produces on the basis of physical and chemical parameters, it is worthwhile to
bring out the guidelines, which would facilitate the entrepreneur to establish
a grading laboratory depending upon his requirements. Emphasis has been laid on the testing of food
grains, cereals, oilseeds and whole spices which are the most viable
commodities proposed for the purpose of grading.
In
this manual minimum requirements for establishing a laboratory have been
mentioned. However, the laboratory
facilities would have to be extended depending upon the intake of the samples
and the requirement for the testing.
1. Basic
infrastructural facilities:
a) To
begin with the grading laboratory should have a pucca room at least the size of
20 feet x 15 feet
b) The
room should have proper ventilation and a proper door with which it can be
securely closed.
c) The laboratory room
should have a side working table 2 to 2.5 feet in breadth with 3 feet in height covering the entire length and breadth of each side of the room with at least
one wash basin at each end of the table with proper drainage facilities..
d) The
laboratory room should be provided with running water supply and electricity
with three-phase connection.
e) It
will be better to have a separate room of the size 15 feet x 10 feet
attached to the main laboratory room for purpose of receiving and keeping
samples and for keeping records safely.
This room can also be used as the sitting room for the incharge of the
laboratory.
f) A wooden/steel almirah, a table and a
chair may also be provided.
The building with the above dimension may cost about 1.5 to 2 lakhs
2. Laboratory
organization:
a)
The grading laboratory shall have at least one grading chemist who
should be a graduate in Science with Chemistry as one of the subject or
equivalent. He should have successfully
undergone training in the grading of the commodities at any approved
laboratory.
b) The grading chemist will be assisted by an attendant who should have
minimum Xth Class pass as educational qualification with Science as
a subject.
c)
The chemist will carryout the actual grading of agricultural
commodities and shall keep all records pertaining to grading of commodities and
will issue report etc.
3. Equipments,
glassware and chemicals required:
a)
Equipments, glassware and chemicals required
for grading of food grains and cereals are given in
Annexure-I.
b)
Equipments, glassware and chemicals required for grading of pulses are
given in Annexure-II.
c)
Equipments, glassware and chemicals required for grading of oilseeds
are given in Annexure-III.
d)
Equipments, glassware and chemicals required for grading of spices are
given in Annexure-IV.
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Photographs of Important Components
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Oven |
Grinder |
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4. Laboratory
safety and hygiene:
a)
The laboratory building should have a pucca construction and the premises
should be clean and maintained in a hygienic condition.
b)
The laboratory should have good ventilation and should be protected
from rain or direct sunlight.
c)
The laboratory should be kept clean at all times and be practically
free from insect, rodents etc.
d)
The waste materials generated during grading and or other operations
should be disposed off immediately so as to avoid any type of contamination.
e)
The grading chemist shall strictly abide by the instructions given in
the grading manual and follow the methods and procedures as per the grading
standards of respective commodities.
f) Due care and precautions should be taken while handling hazardous
chemicals; and electrical apparatus should have proper earthing to avoid fire
due to short-circuiting.
g) Inflammable and poisonous chemicals should be kept away from the
sources of heat and naked flame.
h) Fire extinguisher for laboratory purposes should be provided.
5. Training
on analysis and maintenance of records.
a)
The grading chemist shall keep all the registers in proper condition
and record every detail about the grading activities that he undertakes. All the facts and figures are to be entered
in the relevant registers at appropriate places.
b) All analytical values should be entered in the analytical register up
to the required significant levels as required by the test methods and any
over-writing or cuttings etc. should be authenticated by signature of the
grading chemist.
c) It should be the endeavour of the grading station authorities to send
the grading chemist for refresher course to organizations conducting such
programmes to update his knowledge regarding his field of work.
6. Requirements for analyzing food safety parameters.
For analyzing food safety parameters like Metallic Contaminants, Pesticide Residues, Aflatoxin, Microbial Load etc a very sophisticated laboratory costing approximately 1 crore and highly qualified and trained personnel are required. A detailed discussion on this topic is given in another manual.
Note:
For further
information/clarification kindly contact
Director
of Laboratories
Central Agmark Laboratory
Directorate of Marketing & Inspection
Government of India
Ministry of Agriculture
Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation
North Ambazari Road
NAGPUR-440 010.
E-mail:
calnag@nagpur.dot.net.in
Fax
No: 91-712 – 2534748
Tel No.: 91-712-2534748, 91-712-2526647