Question : Wastage of Vegetables

(a) whether it is a fact that large quantities of onions, tomatoes and potatoes go to waste every year for want of sufficient storage capacity due to which farmers don’t get even the production cost, while at the same time prices of these vegetables become uncontrolled due to difficulty in supply, if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether it is a fact that the Government proposes to introduce a new National Cold Storage Policy for solving these problems;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken by the Government in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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(a): A study commissioned by Ministry of Food Processing Industries and carried out by Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering & Technology (CIPHET), Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), in 2015, estimated that quantum of harvest and post-harvest losses were 8.20% for onion, 12.44% for tomato and 7.32% for potato at various stages such as harvesting, cleaning, sorting/grading, packaging, transportation, storage channels, weight loss in storage, etc.

The present cold storage capacity in the country is 35.88 million MT of which around 75% of the total cold storage capacity in the country is used for the purpose of storage of horticulture crops including potato. Out of total production of potatoes in the country 75% was stored in cold storages for long term storage at farm gate. Similarly, 4.87 million MT capacity is available for storing of onion in the country. Generally rabi onion bulbs are stored in ventilated structures at farm level.

Most of perishable horticulture produce require pre-conditioning at pack houses and efficient supply chain infrastructure for market integration and smooth transportation across the country to take advantage of unified national market.
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In order to minimize harvest and post-harvest losses, Government is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) which inter-alia includes assistance for establishment of post-harvest infrastructure. Under MIDH, credit-linked back ended subsidy @ 35% of the project cost in general areas (50% in case of hilly and schedule areas) is available for various components of post-harvest infrastructure, including cold chain. The component is demand/ entrepreneur-driven from among entrepreneurs, private companies, cooperatives, farmers groups etc through commercial ventures. Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under Ministry of Commerce are also implementing programmes for creation of post-harvest infrastructure.

(b) to (d): There is no such proposal of the Government.


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