Agilent Technologies and ICAR-National Research Centre for Grapes (NRCG), Pune, have expanded their partnership, geared towards strengthening India’s food safety infrastructure through advanced analytical science and regulatory engagement. The partnership can potentially leverage India’s position as a global exporter by enhancing transparency and trust in quality assurance, thereby opening new market opportunities.
As India expands its agricultural export market, the need for a reliable, scalable, and regulation ready food testing solutions is also growing. With a focus on sustainability, precision, and global regulatory alignment, Agilent and NRCG are co-developing targeted workflows for pesticide residue and fumigant analysis. These initiatives are aimed at supporting laboratories and stakeholders in meeting evolving safety standards while strengthening trust in India’s food supply chain.
We are proud to expand our collaboration with NRCG and contribute to the development of resilient, future-ready food safety systems. This partnership is not just about technology—it’s about building trust, enabling transformation, and supporting India’s role as a global leader in safe food production.
The partnership will provide a platform for scientific and regulatory engagement through joint workshops, webinars, and technical publications, as Agilent and NRCG work to foster knowledge exchange and promote best practices in analytical testing. The overall aim of the initiative is to build capacity among food safety professionals and encourage the adoption of validated methods across government and commercial labs.
Stringent Global Regulations Challenge India’s Grape Export Potential
As per APEDA India’s grape industry continues to make strong strides, with export shipments touching 343,982 tonnes valued at US$ 417 million in 2023-24. Maharashtra maintained its position as the leading exporter of grapes, contributing 67% of national production, with Nashik alone exporting around 150,000 lakh tonnes annually. Despite weather challenges Nashik maintained grape exports at 157,000 tonnes during the 2024-25 season, out of which 1.10 lakh tonnes went to European markets and 47,000 tonnes to non European destinations. While the industry remains vulnerable to climate conditions, India’s network of over 1,500 exporters serving 4,000 buyers worldwide positions it for steady growth, projected at a modest 1.7% CAGR through 2028.
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India ranks among the world’s top five grape exporters, but experts caution that sustaining this position is predicated on the country’s ability to adapt to evolving global food safety standards. The European Union (EU) and West Asia, top destinations for India’s grape exports, are tightening residue limits and quality benchmarks, driving exporters to supply traceable, regulation ready produce.
The EU’s pesticide residue limit has a default Maximum Residue Level (MRL) of 0.01 mg/kg for any pesticide that isn’t specifically listed in EU legislation for a particular food product. Such stringent limits may result in detection of trace residues and drive shipment rejections. On April 16, 2025, seven Gulf nations, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen submitted a joint notification to WTO outlining draft technical regulations on maximum pesticide residue limits in agricultural and food products, signaling stricter oversight.
Elevating India’s Food Safety Standards with Agilent-NRCG
Agilent is a supplier of high precision instruments and methods for detecting pesticide residues, while NRCG is responsible for applying these in standardized export procedure for grapes. The partnership testing abilities can help exporters meet international regulatory thresholds. The shared vision of collaboration is aimed at raising the standard of food safety standards in India by creating a framework for the entirety of supply chain. Modernizing policy compliance framework, aligning with international standards, and scaling investment in food testing infrastructure will enhance India’s export credibility and unlock new market opportunities by reinforcing transparency and trust across the supply chain.
This partnership is a natural progression of our shared vision to elevate food safety standards in India. By integrating Agilent’s technological capabilities with NRCG’s research leadership, we are creating a framework that supports innovation, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder empowerment.”
The earlier partnerships between Agilent and NRC have a proven record of accomplishments, reinforcing a shared commitment to drive measurable impact in food testing. By putting strategy into action, Agilent and NRCG aim to deliver outcomes that benefit the food industry, regulators, and consumers. The vision to align scientific rigor with practical implementation, can transform scope of food regulation ecosystem, diversifying prospects for expansion in lucrative markets.
