Lok Sabha Question No. 3513 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-08-08
Subject: Wastage of Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: NANDI YELLAIAH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3513 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 8 TH   AUGUST, 2017

## WASTAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

## 3513.   SHRI NANDI YELLAIAH:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is true that the value of annual wastage of fruits and vegetables was estimated at  Rs.  13,309  crore  and  if  the  wastage  value  of  rice,  wheat,  cereals  and  other  foodgrains declared as unfit for human consumption are taken into account, it would go upto Rs. 44,000 crore a year, if so, the details thereof and the norms in which this vast wastage of foodgrains was disposed off;
- (b) the steps taken at Union Government and State Government levels to put an end to such loss every year on an average and for speedy disposal of stored foodgrains and vegetables; and
- (c) the details of the new instructions issued to all the States and the Ministries/organisations  of  the  Union  Government  to  reduce  such  heavy  loss  of  foodgrains, vegetables, cereals, etc.?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  had  commissioned  a  study  on  'Assessment  of Quantitative  Harvest  and  Post-Harvest  Losses  of  Major  Crops  and  Commodities  in  India' conducted by ICAR - Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana.  The study was commissioned in 2012 and the final report submitted on 31.03.2015. The  study  has  estimated  that  annual  value  of  harvest  and  post-harvest  losses  of  major agricultural  produces  at  national  level  was  of  the  order  of  Rs.92,651  crore  calculated  using production  data  of  2012-13  at  2014  wholesale  prices.    The  percentage  of  harvest  and  postharvest losses as assessed by the study are at Annexure-I.
- (b) & (c): The  Government  of  India  has  recently  approved  a  new  Central  sector  scheme Kisan  SAMPADA  Yojana  (Scheme  for  agro-Marine  Processing  and  Development  of  Agro Processing Cluster) with an allocation of  Rs.6000 crore for the period 2016-20 conterminous with the 14 th Finance Commission cycle.  The Kisan SAMPADA Yojana will be implemented by Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI). Kisan SAMPADA Yojana is a Comprehensive package for creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate  to  retain  outlet.    Besides,  Ministry  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  which  includes  assistance  for creation of post harvest infrastructure.

Ministry of Consumers Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Department of Food  & Public Distribution  issues  uniform  specifications  for  procurement  of  foodgrains  for  the  Central  Pool before the commencement of Rabi and Kharif Marketing Seasons. These uniform specifications are circulated to Food Corporation of India (FCI) and all State Governments/Agencies  with  instructions  to  ensure  that  foodgrains  are  procured  strictly  in accordance  with  the  uniform  specifications.    Regular  inspections  of  the  stock/godowns  are under taken by qualified and technical staff.  The principle of 'first in first out' (FIFO) is also followed to avoid longer storage of foodgrains in godowns.

Further,  FCI  follows  the  procedures  for  disposal  of  damaged/non  useable  foodgrains. Categorization of damaged foodgrains is based on percentage of sound grains and a three tier categorization at depot level, regional level and zonal level is done.  General Manager (Region) is competent authority for disposal of damaged foodgrains on the basis of various parameters which  includes  tender/auction  price  and  reserve  price,  quantity  of  accrual  of  damaged foodgrains.

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