Question : COLD STORAGE UNITS

(a) whether there is a shortage of cold storage facilities in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the National Co-operative Development Corporation provides financial assistance to the State Governments for establishment of pre-cooling and cold storage units for storage of potatoes and other fruits and vegetables under the co-operative sector;

(d) if so, the details thereof including the physical and financial targets set for the purpose during each of the last three years, State-wise; and

(e) the achievements made thereunder during the above period?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI SHARAD PAWAR)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.5 DUE FOR REPLY ON 09-11-2010.

(a) & (b): In view of growth in production of perishable agricultural products, there is a need for creation of additional cold storage facilities in the country. Assistance is provided to entrepreneurs in setting up of new cold storage facilities in the country through the schemes of National Horticulture Mission (NHM), National Horticulture Board (NHB), Technology Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture in North Eastern States, Sikkim, J&K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand (TMNE), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MFPI).

(c): National Cooperative Development Cooperation (NCDC) provides financial assistance to the cooperative societies to the extent of 90% of the cost to the State Governments for establishment, modernization, rehabilitation and modification of cold storages for perishables. The beneficiary cooperatives are provided 40% loan and 50% as share capital from the State Government. Balance 10% of the cost is met by way of members contribution. In case of direct funding, assistance to the extent of 75% of the cost is provided.
NCDC has also dovetailed its cold storage programme with National Horticulture Board (NHB) and acts as a nodal agency to route subsidy to State Governments/Cooperatives for cold storage projects. In such cases quantum of assistance provided by NCDC is reduced by the subsidy available under the Capital Investment Scheme (CIS) under NHB. The scheme provides back-ended subsidy @ 40% of the project cost for general and 55% in case of hilly and scheduled areas for maximum storage capacity upto 5,000 ton per project.

(d): NCDC does not set physical and financial targets, state wise. However, year wise details of physical and financial targets for the country are as under:

Year	Physical	Financial	(Rs. in lakh)	Number	Capacity	(MT)
2007-08	2	10,000	300.00
2008-09	3	15,000	1000.00
2009-10	2	10,000	350.00