(a) whether the Government is aware of the study undertaken by the National Spot Exchange
Limited, a joint venture of Financial Technologies (India) Limited and National Agricultural
Cooperative Marketing Federation of India on production, consumption and shelf-life pattern
of major fruits and vegetables in the country; and
(b) if so, the details of the findings of the study along with the reaction of the Government
thereto?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (DR. CHARAN DAS MAHANT)
(a) & (b) The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED)
has informed that the National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) is not a joint venture company
of NAFED and that the NAFED has not undertaken any study of production, consumption and
shelf-life pattern of fruits and vegetables in the country.
However, the NSEL in its study (December, 2010) entitled “Cold Chain Grid In India†estimated
cold storage requirements of 61.13 million tonnes while analysing production, consumption and
shelf life pattern of major fruits and vegetables against available capacity of 23.51 million
tonnes. The cold storage gap of about 38 million tonnes has been worked out on the basis of
peak season production and highest arrival/harvesting of storable fruits and vegetables in
a month.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has been implementing the Scheme for cold chain,
value addition and preservation infrastructure. The Scheme provides financial assistance in
the form of grant in aid @ 50% of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil
works in general areas and @ 75% of the total cost of plant and machinery and technical civil
works in difficult areas subject to a maximum of Rs. 10.00 crore. The initiatives are aimed at
filling gaps in the supply chain, strengthening of cold chain infrastructure, establishing value
addition with infrastructural facilities like sorting, grading, packaging, processing and
preservation of horticultural and non horticultural products.
Other agencies of Government like National Horticulture Mission (NHM), National Horticulture
Board (NHB), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA),
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and the State Governments also provide
assistance for cold storages under their respective Schemes. “Creation and management of cold
chain infrastructure†for agriculture has been identified a thrust area by the Hon’ble Prime
Minister.