Lok Sabha Question No. 2826 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-13
Subject: Wastage of Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: C.S. PUTTARAJU, S.P. MUDDAHANUMEGOWDA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2826

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH   MARCH, 2018

## WASTAGE OF VEGETABLES

2826.  SHRI C.S. PUTTA RAJU: SHRI S.P. MUDDAHANUME GOWDA:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that large quantities of onions, tomatoes and potatoes go to waste every  year  for  want  of  sufficient  storage  capacity  due  to  which  farmers  don't  get  even  the production cost, while at the same time prices of these vegetables become uncontrolled due to difficulty in supply, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  the  Government  proposes  to  introduce  a  new  National  Cold Storage Policy for solving these problems;

(c) if so, the details thereof; and

(d) the time by which a final decision is likely to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

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

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a): A  study  commissioned  by  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  and  carried  out  by Central  Institute  of  Post  Harvest  Engineering  &  Technology  (CIPHET),  Indian  Council  of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR),  in  2015,  estimated  that  quantum  of  harvest  and  post-harvest losses were 8.20% for onion, 12.44% for tomato and 7.32% for potato at various stages such as harvesting, cleaning, sorting/grading, packaging, transportation, storage channels, weight loss in storage, etc.

The present cold  storage capacity  in  the  country  is  35.88  million  MT  of  which  around 75%  of  the  total  cold  storage  capacity  in  the  country  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  storage  of horticulture crops including potato. Out of total production of potatoes in the country 75% was stored in cold storages for long term storage at farm gate. Similarly, 4.87 million MT capacity is available for storing of onion in the country. Generally rabi onion bulbs are stored in ventilated structures at farm level.

Most  of  perishable  horticulture  produce  require  pre-conditioning  at  pack  houses  and efficient supply chain infrastructure for market integration and smooth transportation across the country to take advantage of unified national market.

In  order  to  minimize  harvest  and  post-harvest  losses,  Government  is  implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) which  inter-alia includes assistance for establishment of post-harvest infrastructure. Under MIDH, credit-linked back ended subsidy @  35%  of  the  project  cost  in  general  areas  (50%  in  case  of  hilly  and  schedule  areas)  is available  for  various  components  of  post-harvest  infrastructure,  including  cold  chain.  The component  is  demand/  entrepreneur-driven  from  among  entrepreneurs,  private  companies, cooperatives,  farmers  groups  etc  through  commercial  ventures.  Ministry  of  Food  Processing Industries and Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) under  Ministry  of  Commerce  are  also  implementing  programmes  for  creation  of  post-harvest infrastructure.

(b) to (d): There is no such proposal of the Government.

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