Lok Sabha Question No. 1253 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-18
Subject: Wastage of Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KRISHNAN NARAYANASAMY RAMACHANDRAN

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1253

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## WASTAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

## 1253.      SHRI K.N. RAMACHANDRAN:

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    huge  quantum  of  fruits  and  vegetables  go  waste  in  the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the quantum of fruits and vegetables got wasted during the last three years;
- (c) whether the Government has taken any steps to control the transportation cost of fruits and vegetables, which have a lower shelf life; and
- (d) the number of cold storage units the Government has acquired or established  in the last three years?

## 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) & (b): A study was 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)  which  was  published  in  2015.  As  per  the  study  quantum  of quantitative harvest and post harvest losses were estimated in the range of 6.70% to 15.88% for fruits and 4.58% to 12.44% for vegetables. Losses at different stage after harvest are as under:

| S. No.   | Stages          | Range of losses (%)   | Range of losses (%)   |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|-----------------------|
|          |                 | Fruits                | Vegetables            |
| 1.       | Harvesting      | 0.98 - 5.33           | 0.99 - 3.16           |
| 2.       | Collection      | 0.26 - 0.42           | 0.04 - 0.52           |
| 3.       | Sorting/Grading | 1.46 - 4.95           | 0.99 - 5.34           |
| 4.       | Packaging       | 0.09 - 0.34           | 0.06 - 0.38           |
| 5.       | Transport       | 0.42 - 1.91           | 0.51 - 1.75           |
| 6.       | Farm Storage    | 0.01 - 0.23           | 0.05 - 0.66           |
| 7.       | Cold Storage    | 0.01 - 0.25           | 0.00 - 0.30           |
| 8.       | Wholesaler      | 0.57 - 1.62           | 0.31 - 1.26           |
| 9.       | Retailer        | 0.34 - 2.08           | 0.11 - 1.63           |
| 10.      | Processing      | 0.00 - 0.25           | 0.00 - 0.17           |

(c): Government of India is implementing Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)  scheme  and  Pradhan  Mantri  Kissan  SAMPADA  Yojana  under  which  assistance  is available  for  various  components  including  incentives  for  refrigerated  transport  vehicles  for transportation of fruits and vegetables.

(d): During  the  last  three  years,  700  cold  storage  units  have  been  created  in  the  country under various schemes of Government.

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