Question : Cold Storages in FPI Sector

(a) the steps taken to increase the number of cold storages as an important constituent to reduce production loss after harvesting in food processing sector;

(b) whether any budget has been earmarked and funds have been released in this regard;

(c) if so, the details thereof and the details of the funds sanctioned State-wise including district-wise in the State of Maharashtra; and

(d) the number of cold storage houses in Parbhani, Ratnagiri-Sindudurg of Maharashtra and the number of functional and non-functional out of these and the reasons therefor?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI PRAHLAD SINGH PATEL)

(a): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) does not establish food processing units at its own. It encourages setting up of food processing facilities/units by extending financial assistance as grants-in-aid to the approved projects under various sub-schemes of the ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)’ for creating modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet, so as to boost the growth of food processing sector in the country and help reducing the wastage of agricultural produce.

Applications for setting up of food processing units are invited from interested individual/entity through Expression of Interest (EoI) from time to time under different sub-schemes of PMKSY.

A total of 853 projects for food processing have been approved in the 30 different States of this country so far having processing capacity of 216.81 Lakh MT/annum clubbed with preservation capacity of 70.014 Lakh MT/annum. These preservation facilities are allied part of approved projects for food processing only. However, standalone cold storages are not sanctioned by MoFPI.

(b) & (c): PMKSY is not region specific or State specific and accordingly no budget is specifically earmarked for any region or State/UT. However, based on location of projects sanctioned, the Statewise details of grants-in-aid approved and released, is given in Annexure.

(d): No food processing units, including associated storages, has been sanctioned in Parbhani and Ratnagiri-Sindugurg of Maharashtra.
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