Question : COLD STORAGES

(a) the total available capacity and estimated shortage of capacity of cold storage along with the number of cold storage units in public, private and cooperative sectors, Sector/State/UT-wise;

(b) the schemes being implemented by the Government during the 12th Five Year Plan to provide incentives to entrepreneurs for setting up cold storages across the country;

(c) whether the Government has implemented Grameen Bhandaran Yojana to create storage facility in rural areas to prevent distress sale of their produce by the farmers; and

(d) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of godowns set up along with the total capacity created during the last two years under the scheme and the funds released/utilised for the purpose, State/UT-wise?

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 481 DUE FOR REPLY ON 12TH AUGUST, 2014.

(a): The total cold storage capacity created in the country up to March 31, 2014 is estimated to be 31.83 million MT. State/UT wise distribution of cold storages is at Annexure-I. As per Planning Commission report of 2012 on the subject of supply chains, 95.8%, 3.8% and 0.4% capacity of cold storages was in the private, cooperative and public sector respectively. This report estimated the required capacity at 61.13 million MT. Thus, the shortage in capacity is about 29 million MT.

(b): During 12th Five Year Plan, Ministry of Agriculture is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) which provides for credit linked back ended subsidy at 35% of the project cost in general areas and at 50% in hilly and scheduled areas to post-harvest infrastructure including cold storages.

Besides, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing a scheme for cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure since 2008-09, which provides assistance @ 50% of the total cost of plant, machinery and technical civil works in general areas and 75% for North Eastern (NE) region, Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs 10.00 crore per project.

Further, Ministry of Commerce through Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) provides 90% grant-in-aid to State Government agencies for setting up cold storage infrastructure for export. Assistance to private exporters is also available @ 40% subsidy with a ceiling of Rs. 75.00 lakh.

(c) & (d): Government has been implementing Grameen Bhandaran Yojana (GBY) since April 2001 to promote creation of scientific storage capacity with related facilities in rural areas to reduce post harvest losses and prevent distress sales by way of pledge finance against the stored produce. GBY has been subsumed in Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM) since 01.04.2014. Details of the number of godowns set up along with total capacity created during last two years under the scheme and funds released, State/UT-wise is at Annexure – II.