Lok Sabha Question No. 233 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Wastage of Agro-Food Products
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: M. CHANDRAKASI

## GOVERNMENTOF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.233

ANSWER ON-18 TH  JULY, 2017

## WASTAGE OF AGRO-FOOD PRODUCTS

## 233. SHRI M. CHANDRAKASI:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  regarding  percentage  of  wastage  of  agricultural  food  produces  in  the  country during the last three years, product-wise;
- (b) the rate of wastage reduction achieved in respect of agricultural produces in the country over the said period through the schemes and programmes of the Government; and
- (c) whether  any  new  initiatives  is  under  the  consideration  of  the  Government  to  identify regions of high wastage due to poor infrastructure for processing of agricultural produces so as to address the issues and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a)  &  (b):  Assessment  of  wastage  of  agricultural  food  produces  has  not  been  done  on  annual basis. The Government commissioned a study titled 'Harvest and Post-Harvest Losses of Major Crops  and  Livestock  Produce  in  India'  through  ICAR-  Central  Institute  of  Post-Harvest Engineering  and  Technology  (CIPHET),  Ludhiana  in  2010  to  assess  wastage  of  agriculture produce. The same study was repeated in 2012, which submitted the report in March 2015. The percentages of post-harvest  losses  for  major  produces  as  assessed  by  the  studies  for  the  years 2005-06 and 2012-13 are as follows:

| Crops              | Cumulative Wastage (Percent)   | Cumulative Wastage (Percent)   |
|--------------------|--------------------------------|--------------------------------|
|                    | 2005-06                        | 2012-13                        |
| Cereals            | 3.9 - 6.0                      | 4.65 - 5.99                    |
| Pulses             | 4.3 - 6.1                      | 6.36 - 8.41                    |
| Oil seeds          | 2.8 - 10.1                     | 3.08 - 9.96                    |
| Fruits &Vegetables | 5.8 - 18.0                     | 4.58 - 15.88                   |
| Milk               | 0.8                            | 0.92                           |
| Fisheries (Inland) | 6.9                            | 5.23                           |
| Fisheries (Marine) | 2.8                            | 10.52                          |
| Meat               | 2.2                            | 2.71                           |
| Poultry meat       | 3.7                            | 6.74                           |

(c):  The  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  has  been  implementing  various  Central Sector Schemes for promotion and development of food processing sector in the country and one of the major objectives of the implementation of such schemes is to reduce the wastage in  all  regions  of  the  country.  Recently,  the  Ministry  of  Food Processing  Industries  has  restructured  its  schemes  under  the  new  Central  Sector  Scheme  of  KISAN  SAMPADA YOJANA having seven components viz (i) Mega Food Park, (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, (iii) Infrastructure for Agro-Processing Clusters, (iv) Creation of  Forward  and  Backward  Linkages,  (v)  Creation/  Expansion  of  Food  Processing  & Preservation  Capacities,  (vi)  Food  Safety  and  Quality  Assurance  Infrastructure  and  (vii) Human  Resources  and  Institutions.  The  scheme  of  Infrastructure  for  Agro-Processing Clusters under KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA aims at development of modern infrastructure to  encourage entrepreneurs to set up food processing units  based on cluster approach.  The KISAN SAMPADA YOJANA has been approved with an allocation of Rs. 6,000 crore for period 2016-20 co-terminus with the 14 th Finance Commission cycle. The farmers, Farmer Producer  Organizations,  entrepreneurs,  cooperatives,  societies,  Self  Help  Groups,  Private Companies and State PSUs etc. are eligible to avail financial assistance under these schemes for setting up food processing projects in the country.

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