VISAKHAPATNAM: Eleven years after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the State is yet to have a functional food testing laboratory of its own. Despite the inauguration of the Andhra Pradesh State Food Laboratory set up at a cost of Rs 4.77 crore in Visakhapatnam, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25, 2024, the facility has not been made operational.
In the absence of a State laboratory, food samples collected during raids across Andhra Pradesh continue to be sent either to private laboratories within the State or to the State Food Laboratory in Hyderabad. For over a decade, Hyderabad has remained the only destination for official testing of samples from Andhra Pradesh.
In some cases, officials have relied on private labs, paying between Rs 10,000 and Rs 15,000 per sample. The delay comes at a time when large-scale food safety inspections are being carried out across the State. The lack of a fully functional laboratory has raised questions about the effectiveness of these operations.
Last month, Minister for Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Y Satya Kumar Yadav announced that the Visakhapatnam laboratory would be operational by the end of September, with basic equipment already installed, and the final stages of procurement in progress.
However, sources indicated that the timeline is unlikely to be met. “For the State food laboratory to function, around 75 personnel are required. No recruitment notification has been issued so far. Even if half the required staff were appointed, the laboratory could begin basic operations. Without hiring the staff, it is not possible for the laboratory to run,” a source said on condition of anonymity.
It may be recalled that in July 2025, the Health Minister urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to fill vacancies in the Directorate of Institute of Preventive Medicine noting that of the sanctioned 723 posts, only 143 are filled. Subsequently, the Chief Minister directed officials to fill 150 posts in the first phase. However, the recruitment process has not yet commenced.
Data on the FSSAI website, Andhra Pradesh currently has only one State food laboratory, which remains non-functional, while four private laboratories are operational. The State’s poor performance in the State Food Safety Index (SFSI) has reflected these systemic challenges.
A senior official said, “We are now sending the samples to the State Food Laboratory in Hyderabad, and to private labs within AP. However, our laboratory in Visakhapatnam will soon be operational as the work is progressing at a brisk pace.”