Commodity testing lab in Jodhpur by month-end

Commodity warehousing solutions company National Collateral Management Services Ltd (NCMSL) is planning to launch a satellite laboratory in Jodhpur, Rajasthan for testing commodities like cummin seed, guar gum and guar seed.

The cost of the laboratory which is estimated to be Rs 15 lakhs, will be completed by end of this month, said NCMSL executive. This is the third satellite laboratory in the series followed by Unjha of Gujarat and Mumbai.

NCMSL also plans to setup two more laboratories, depending on the production output and seasonal changes. The company would be starting 'disposal services' to help farmers, processors or traders who want to sell their commodity for cash emergency, he added.

"We will be setting up our full-fledged satellite laboratory at Jodhpur for assaying and grading guar gum, gaur seed and cummin seed. Protein and oil content in the seeds will be evaluated in addition to the physical quality.

If the seeds satisfy the parameters fixed by the National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), it will be traded in the exchange," he added.

NCMSL has a centralised lab at Hyderabad with testing facility for over 25 commodities. This testing and certifying facility would give farmers easy access to bank credit with the backing of NCMSL.

NCMSL is promoted by banks, NCDEX, Indian Farmer's Fertilizer Co-operative (IFFCO), Haryana Agricultural marketing federation (HAFED) and Audit Control and Expertise (ACE) Geneva.

At present, NCMSL satellite labs at Mumbai are used for researching pulses and in Unjha for cummin seed and castor seeds.

"The speicialised facility at Jodhpur will enable farmers to avail a safe and liquid warehouse receipts for guar seed, guar gum and cummin seed," he said.

"We also plan to desalinate NCDEX future prices at all warehouses for sensitising farmers about price trends. Earlier, NCDEX had started a pilot project in disseminating information in Gujarat state," he added.

NCMSL has several multiple linkages, Commodity Multiple-linked Points(CMPs), and factory locations to enable farmers and banks to choose appropriate solutions to optimize their returns.