Question : Increasing Farmer’s Income through FPI

(a) the details of the schemes started by the Government to increase the income of the farmers by way of facilitating preservation and processing of vegetables, fruits and milk products etc.;
(b) the total number of mega food parks, cold supply chains and cold storages established and approved under the aforesaid schemes along with the details thereof, State-wise and location-wise;
(c) whether the number of mega food parks, cold supply chains and storages, established and approved so far, is sufficient to meet the demand;
(d) if not, whether the Government is considering a plan to increase the number of such facilities; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a) : The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing the Central Sector Umbrella Scheme- PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA (PMKSY) with the scheme components viz: (i) Mega Food Parks, (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, (iii) Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, (iv) Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages (v) Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities, (vi) Food Safety and Quality Assurance Infrastructure and (vii) Human Resources and Institutions for, inter alia, creation of modern infrastructure and efficient supply chain for facilitating preservation and processing of all agro and marine produce including vegetables, fruits and milk. The Ministry is also implementing the scheme "Operation Greens" as a vertical of PMKSY since November, 2018 for integrated development of value/supply chain of tomato, onion and potato (TOP) crops in selected States on pilot basis. PMKSY provides a big boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country helping thereby the farmers in getting better prices for their produces due to higher demand for agricultural produce by the food processing industries as raw material. It is thus a big step towards doubling of farmers’ income in addition to creating huge employment opportunities especially in the rural areas, reducing wastage of agricultural produce and enhancing the export of the processed foods.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for development of Horticulture in the country under which financial assistance is available, Inter-alia, for setting up of post-harvest management infrastructure including establishment of cold storages. Further, the National Horticulture Board of Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing (i). Development of Commercial Horticulture through Production and Post-Harvest Management of Horticulture Crops; and (ii) Capital Investment Subsidy for Construction/ Expansion/ Modernization of Cold Storages for Horticulture Products providing financial assistance for setting up of, inter-alia, cold storage facilities.

(b) to (e): The schemes under PMKSY and schemes under MIDH and NHB are demand driven. A Statement indicating State-wise number of Cold Storage in Mega Food Parks approved under the scheme of Mega Food Parks is at Annexure-I. A Statement indicating State-wise number of Cold Storage capacities created under the scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition is at Annexure-II. A Statement indicating State-wise Cold Storage project under MIDH is at Annexure-III. A Statement indicating State-wise number of Cold Storage sanctioned under National Horticulture Board (NHB) is at Annexure-IV.

*****