Lok Sabha Question No. 3245 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-08-07
Subject: Cold Storage
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAMSINH PATALYABHAI RATHWA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3245

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH  AUGUST,  2018

## COLD STORAGE

## 3245.   SHRI RAMSINH RATHWA:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) the  criteria  adopted  by  the  Government  for  establishing  cold  storages  in  various  States  of  the country particularly to benefit the small and marginal farmers in their area of produce;
- (b) the number of such cold storages established by the Government in Gujarat;
- (c) whether these cold storages have proper connectivity by road/rail and other modes of transports, if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether these cold storages are operating on no-profit no-loss basis for the benefit of small and marginal farmers; and
- (e) if so, the details of such cold storages and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

## कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): Government does not establish cold storages on its own. However, Government is providing financial assistance and fiscal incentive for creation of cold storages to States.

Under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) scheme, credit-linked back ended subsidy at the rate of 35% of the capital cost of the project in general areas and 50% in case of North-East, hilly and schedule areas is available for various components of post-harvest infrastructure, including cold storage with capacity upto 5000 MT.

Under National Horticulture Board (NHB), credit-linked back ended subsidy at the rate of 35% of the capital cost of the project in general areas and 50% in case of North-East, hilly and schedule areas is  available  for  various  components  of  post-harvest  infrastructure,  including  cold  storage  with capacity above 5000 MT upto 10000 MT. However in case of North East region the capacity above 1000 MT is also eligible under NHB scheme.

Further, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MOFPI) is implementing Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana to provide integrated cold chain and preservation infrastructure facilities. Under this scheme, Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 35% for general area and at the rate of 50% for North East & Himalayan States subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs.  10.00  crore  for  setting  up  integrated  cold  chain  projects  with  cold  storage  as  one  of  the component.

- (b): There are 890 cold storages with capacity of 3.51 million MT have been established in Gujarat under  Directorate  of  Marketing  and  Inspection  (upto  2009),  National  Horticulture  Board  (NHB), National Horticulture Mission (NHM) & Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI).
- (c): The  component  is  demand/  entrepreneur-driven.  The  entrepreneurs,  private  companies, cooperatives, farmers groups etc through commercial ventures setup cold storages and are eligible to get  credit  linked  back  ended  subsidy.    Since  setting  up  of  cold  storages  is  a  commercial  venture, various  aspects  including  connectivity  by  road/rail  &  other  modes  of  transport  are  given  due consideration by the entrepreneur undertaking such projects.
- (d) & (e): There is no tariff fixation by government in cold storages and prices are determined by market forces.

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