(a) whether initiatives have been taken to create infrastructure to link farm produce to retail outlets and markets;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether these infrastructure development in food processing industry is crop specific; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
(a) & (b): Yes, Madam. In order to create infrastructure to link farm produce to retail markets, Government is implementing a central sector scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure in the country. The objective of the scheme is to provide integrated cold chain, preservation and value addition infrastructure facilities without any break, from the farm gate to the consumer in order to reduce post-harvest losses of horticulture and non-horticulture agri-produce. This will enable linking groups of producers to processors and market through a well equipped supply chain and cold chain, thereby ensuring remunerative prices to farmers and year-round availability of food products to consumers. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided in the form of grant-in-aid of maximum Rs10 Crore per project. The scheme is primarily private sector driven and proposals under this scheme are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI).
(c) & (d) The scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition infrastructure is not crop specific and financial assistance is available for inter alia, creation of infrastructure for backward and forward integration of both horticulture and non-horticulture produce.