By Azeem Ahmed Khan

The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) plans to launch a Rs983.35 million project to upgrade testing laboratories aimed at improving quality assurance for agricultural products and enhancing the country’s export potential, according to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan.

The project, titled “Strengthening and Up-gradation of Testing Laboratories at PCSIR regarding Quality Assurance of Agricultural Products for Export Promotion,” will be implemented over a two-year period from 2026 to 2028.

Being executed by PCSIR under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the initiative aims to establish advanced testing facilities for pesticide residues, aflatoxins, heavy metals and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) to help ensure compliance with international food safety requirements.

According to the project documents, upgraded laboratories will be established in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta to improve the testing and certification capacity needed for agricultural exports.

The initiative is expected to enhance Pakistan’s competitiveness in international markets by providing reliable and internationally accepted testing mechanisms for food and agricultural products. It is also intended to help reduce export rejections linked to contamination and non-compliance with global quality standards.

The project documents indicate that the upgraded facilities will support compliance requirements for major export destinations, including the European Union, the United States and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, improving access to these markets.

The project is projected to contribute to a 20% annual increase in exports and generate approximately $1.5 billion in additional export earnings annually. It is also expected to benefit more than 1,000 exporters and farmers through improved testing, certification and quality assurance services.

The initiative forms part of broader efforts to modernise scientific infrastructure and promote value-added agricultural exports amid growing international demand for safe, traceable and high-quality food products.

Under the project, laboratories will be equipped with advanced technologies, including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) and Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based testing systems.

The facilities will also introduce Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technologies for biological screening and testing.

In addition, the laboratories will be aligned with ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation standards to ensure internationally recognised quality, reliability and consistency in testing procedures.

Credit: INP-WealthPk