(a) whether the Government is aware that there is a lot of wastage of fruits like apricot, apple, walnut, seabuckthorne, etc. in Kargil and Leh Districts of Union Territory of Ladakh, if so, the details thereof;
(b) if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government has any plans/proposals to set up a micro food processing unit/industry there in Ladakh;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, whether the Government plans to do the same in future?
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)
(a) & (b) As per study on “Assessment of Quantitative Harvest and Post-Harvest Losses of Major Crops and Commodities in India” carried out by Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana in 2015, the estimated cumulative percentages of annual harvest and post-harvest losses of major fruits is 6.70% to 15.88%. The estimated cumulative percentages of annual harvest and post-harvest losses of Apple and Citrus fruits in Western Himalayan region (covering 4 districts each of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh) is 10.39% and 6.58% percent respectively.
(c) to (e): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) does not set up any food processing industries/projects/units on its own. It provides credit-linked capital subsidy in the form of grants-in-aid to the individuals, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Entrepreneurs, Cooperatives, Societies, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Private Companies and Central/ State PSUs etc. for setting up of various food processing industries/projects/units under its central sector scheme- PRADHAN MANTRI KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA (PMKSY). However, at present, there is no provision for assistance for setting up of micro food processing unit/industry anywhere in the country including in the Union Territory of Ladakh.
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