Ensuring world-class quality for Farmers with Agrostar Quality Assurance Lab (AQAL)

In the world of agriculture, the quality of seeds and other crop protection and crop nutrition products is of utmost importance. At Agrostar, we understand this well. That's why we use our state-of-the-art quality assurance lab to test all of the products we sell on our platform, to ensure that we #Deliver7StarService to our farmers. Indian agri inputs industry has long been plagued by spurious or sub-standard products. There are many reasons why such spurious or sub-standard products are still flowing into the market, including - lack of proper awareness, lack of access to high-quality products and the overall influence of local retailers in the purchase decision of farmers. A recent report by FICCI stated that the use of spurious chemicals accounted for the loss of 10.6 million tonnes of food grain production during FY 2015.

In May 2022, we inaugurated the AgroStar Quality Assurance Lab (AQAL) in Pune at the hands of key dignitaries - Shri Dheeraj Kumar, IAS, Commissioner Agriculture, Maharashtra along with Mr. Umesh Chandra Sarangi, IAS,

Retd. Additional Chief Sec (Home), Govt. Of Maharashtra. The lab is on the premises of India’s largest Agri Advisory Centre which houses more than 500 highly trained and qualified Agri Advisors providing real-time scientific actionable advisory to our farmers.

The AgroStar Quality Assurance Lab or AQAL is a key part of our commitment to #HelpingFarmersWin. AQAL is our R&D and innovation hub with the single intent to #InnovateContinuously to ensure farmers get the absolute best quality inputs through our omnichannel platform. We know that farmers rely on our products to protect their crops, increase their yields, and improve their livelihoods. By using our lab to test our products, we can ensure that farmers are getting products that will truly make a difference in their lives.

So what exactly happens in our quality assurance lab? Well, let's take a closer look.

Seed, Crop Protection & Crop Nutrition Testing

One of the main functions of our lab is to test the quality of seeds. We work with some of the partners to source the highest quality seeds for our farmers. But we don't just take their word for it. Instead, we test every batch of Seeds, Crop Protection & Crop Nutrition products that come through our doors to make sure that they meet our strict quality standards.

This involves a range of tests, including Germination testing, Purity testing, Vigour, ODV, OCS, Moisture and Seed health testing. Germination testing is perhaps the most important, as it measures the percentage of seeds that will successfully grow into healthy plants. We use the latest techniques and equipment to ensure that our germination tests are accurate and reliable.

In addition to seed testing, our lab also tests other crop protection and nutrition products that we sell on our platform. The lab is operated by a team of highly qualified professionals that include Seed technologists, Seed analysts, Quality control professionals, and Chemistry quality analysts. AQAL carries out tests like Standard germination test, Physical purity test, Moisture test, Seed health test, Supensibility test, Seive test, Solubility, Dispersion, Portability, Compatibility, Dust content, Acidity & Alkalinity test, Wettability test, Emulsion stability & AI analysis.

Rigorous Testing Standards

At Agrostar, we take the quality of our products very seriously. That's why we have some of the most rigorous testing standards in the industry. We use the latest equipment and techniques to ensure that our tests are accurate, reliable, and repeatable.

We also follow strict protocols and procedures to ensure that all of our tests are conducted in a standardised and consistent manner. In addition to our internal testing standards, we also adhere to a range of external standards and the lab is in the process of receiving accreditation from NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration) and ISTA (International Seed Testing Association), which is the highest level of accreditation for testing labs in India.

Benefits to Farmers

So what does all of this mean for farmers? In short, it means that they can trust the products they buy from Agrostar. They can be confident that the seeds they plant will grow into healthy, productive crops. They can be sure that the crop protection and nutrition products they use will be safe and effective. And they can be assured that the products they buy will truly help them Win.

In addition to the benefits of high-quality products, our lab also helps us to identify new and innovative products that can help farmers even more. By constantly testing and evaluating new products, we are able to offer our farmers the latest and most effective solutions for their farming needs.

Conclusion

At Agrostar, our quality assurance lab is a key part of our commitment to Helping Farmers Win. The lab is playing a key role in not just testing and validating the quality of inputs sold through AgroStar but also helping in enhancing the agronomy knowledge of our Agri advisory team. The lab will also be used to conduct root cause analysis of the issues faced by farmers and the impact of quality seeds on the farms. By testing every product we sell on our platform, we can ensure that our customers are getting only the highest quality products.

Check out this video about AQAL and its role in #HelpingFarmersWin: