Lok Sabha Question No. 3347 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-16
Subject: Cold Storage Facilities in Assam
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Badruddin Ajmal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3347

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16 TH  MARCH, 2021

## COLD STORAGE FACILITIES IN ASSAM

3347.  SHRI M. BADRUDDIN AJMAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that during lockdown, most farmers in Assam failed to sell their agricultural produce and due to lack of cold storage facilities a large quantum of their produce was wasted; (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  loss  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Central  and  State Government for providing compensation to the farmers; (c) whether it is true that Assam produces a large quantum of agricultural products, vegetables, fruits and horticulture crops but does not have enough facility of cold storage and the present cold storage lacks storage capacity; (d) if  so, the number of cold storage and its capacity in Assam; and whether the Government has any plan to establish new cold storage in Assam, if
- (e) so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  &  (b):  Government  of  India  had  exempted  all  agriculture  related  activities  to facilitate  selling  of  agricultural  produce  by  farmers  during  lock  down  period. Moreover, Government of India had also started Special Parcel Trains to transport farm  produces  and  essential  items  including  horticulture  produce  to  various  intra and interstate locations. Subsequently, Government of India has started dedicated

Kisan  Rail  with  effect  from  07-08-2020  only  for  transportation  of  agriculture  and horticulture produce in the country.

Details  of  sale  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  of  Assam  for providing compensation to the farmers are as follows:

|   Status of Sale of Fruits and vegetables during lock down period due to COVID- 19 from 24/03/2020 to 25/07/2020 | Status of Sale of Fruits and vegetables during lock down period due to COVID- 19 from 24/03/2020 to 25/07/2020   | Status of Sale of Fruits and vegetables during lock down period due to COVID- 19 from 24/03/2020 to 25/07/2020   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|                                                                                                                1 | Total Sale of Fruits & Vegetables within State                                                                   | 683.00 Crores                                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                                2 | Total Sale of Fruits & Vegetables outside the State                                                              | 169.00 Crores                                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                                3 | Total Numbers of Vendors allowed                                                                                 | 5037 numbers                                                                                                     |

Government of Assam has reported that the State Government had fixed the standard  sale  price  to  help  in  stabilizing  the  sale  price  of  fruits  and  vegetables during  the  lockdown  period  due  to  COVID-19  Pandemic.  In  addition  to  that, Government  of  Assam  has  engaged  Farmers'  Vendors  to  transport  agricultural produce from farmer's field to consumers' doorstep which avoids distress and loss of fruits and vegetables.

- (c)  &  (d):    A  study  on  All  India  Cold-chain  Infrastructure  Capacity  (AICIC-2015) carried  out  by  NABARD  Consultancy Service (NABCONS) assessed requirement of 71996 MT capacity of cold storage for perishable fruits and vegetables in State of Assam. Currently, there are 39 cold storages with capacity of 178096 MT have been established in the State of Assam with the financial assistance provided under Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH),  National  Horticulture Board (NHB) and Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)  .
- (e):  Government does not setup cold storage of its own. However, Government is implementing  various  schemes  under  which  financial  assistance  is  provided  for setting up of cold storages for storage of agriculture produce including perishable horticulture produce throughout the country including Assam.

Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare is implementing  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  under which  financial  assistance  is  provided  for  various  horticulture  activities  including setting  up  of  cold  storages.  The  component  is  demand/entrepreneur  driven  for which Government assistance in the form  of  credit  linked back  ended  subsidy  is available at the rate of 35% of the project cost in general areas and at the rate of 50% of the project cost in hilly and scheduled areas. The scheme is available for all States/UTs including the State of Assam.

Further, Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain, Value Addition and Preservation Infrastructure as one of the  component  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Sampada  Yojana  with  the  objective  of reducing  post-harvest  losses  of  horticulture  and  non-horticulture  produce  and providing  remunerative  price  to  farmers  for  their  produce.  Under  the  scheme, Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 35% for  general  areas  and  50%  for  North  East  States,  Himalayan  States,  ITDP  areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure and at the rate of 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs. 10 crore per project for setting up integrated cold chain projects including irradiation facility without any break from the farm gate to the consumer. Standalone  cold  storages  are  not  covered  under  the  Scheme.   The  scheme  is available for all States/UTs including the State of Assam.

*******