Lok Sabha Question No. 413 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: Improving Post-Harvest Operations
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: S. Jagathrakshakan

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 413

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 TH  JULY, 2021

## IMPROVING POST-HARVEST OPERATIONS

413. SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

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  about  70  per  cent  of  the  total  food grains produced remains in the rural sector with farmers for varying periods, and  hence,  educating  and  training  the  farmers  in  post-harvest  operations would greatly help in reducing post-harvest losses in food grains;
- (b) if so, the initiatives taken or being taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) whether the Government is planning to create the facility of 'pledge loan' and marketing credit to prevent distress sale, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (b): Yes Sir. Substantial amount of food grains are retained by the farmers for  their  domestic  consumption  as  informed  by  the  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural Research (ICAR).  However, no specific studies have been conducted to ascertain the  percentage  of  foodgrains  retained  in  rural  sectors  with  farmers.  The  ICAR institutes  impart  trainings/demonstrations  to  farmers,  entrepreneurs  and  self-help groups under various schemes and programmes like 'mera gaon mera gaurav' and conduct exhibitions, field level demonstrations, melas etc.

During  last  three  years  the  Central  Institute  of  Post  Harvest  Engineering  & Technology(ICAR-CIPHET)  has  conducted  28  Famers  trainings  (benefiting  865 participants) and 33 EDPs (benefiting 290 agripreneurs) on different aspects of postharvest  technology  and  value  addition.  Farmers  scientist  interfaces,  agribusiness workshops, exhibitions on post harvest technologies were organized. Around 2000 farmers were benefitted for post harvest handling/storage/processing of food grains. Numerous technologies, machines  and tools  have  also  been  developed to  reduce post harvest losses.

Further, the Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (ICAR-CIAE) is doing a  project  entitled  'Development  of  mechanical  grain  handling  system  with  grain spreading,  collection,  cleaning  and  bagging'  to  avoid  the  losses  due  to  spillage, cross  contamination,  adverse  environment  with  considerable  saving  in  time  and labour. The system will also be equipped with in-situ grain surface disinfestation to kill/ deactivate the insect, insect eggs, fungi, moulds etc. coming from field itself and protect the grain during storage.

The institute also conducts training/demonstrations for farmers to make them aware about existing grain cleaning/processing machineries, storage techniques etc.

(c) & (d): The  Warehousing  Development  and  Regulatory Authority  (WDRA), has  implemented  the  Negotiable  Warehouse Receipts  (NWRs)  system  in  the country. Warehouses intending to issue NWRs against deposited goods are required to  obtain  registration  with  WDRA  after fulfilling  prescribed  norms. WDRA  further implemented electronic-NWR (eNWR) since 26.9.2017 migrating to an  IT  platform for creation and management of electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (eNWRs)  issued  by  the warehouses  registered  with  it.  The  eNWR  is  issued by registered  warehouses  in  the  name  of  depositor (including  farmers)  for  their goods  deposited  by  them, mentioning  details  of  the  goods  in  terms  of  quality and quantity. The eNWRs can be used for obtaining pledge finance as well as for trading. The farmers can keep their Agricultural products in WDRA registered warehouse  and  take  pledge  loans  against  the  e-NWRs  issued  to  them from  Banks  /  Financial  Institutions, thereby  avoiding  distress  sale.  WDRA  also conducts Farmers Awareness Programmes to spread awareness about the importance of proper warehousing and  eNWRs.

Further,  Interest  Subvention  Scheme  (ISS)  is  available  to  farmers  availing short term agri loans upto Rs.3.00 lakh at an interest rate of 7% per annum for one year.   Additional  3%  subvention is also  given to the farmers for  prompt and timely repayment of loans; the same gets reduced to 4% per annum. The short term agri loan  is  also  available  to  Animal  Husbandry,  Dairying  and  Fisheries  from  February 2019.  The  benefits  of  ISS  can  also  be  availed  by  farmers  in  allied  activities  like Animal Husbandry and Fisheries and who already possess KCC within the overall limit  of  Rs.3.00 lakh.  New KCC can be issued to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers  with  provision  of  benefit  of  Interest  subvention  (IS)  &  Prompt  Repayment Incentive  (PRI)  for  loan  amount  upto  Rs.2.00  lakh  per  annum.  IS   of  @  2  %  is available to Small and Marginal Farmers (SMFs) having Kisan Credit Card (KCC) on post harvest loans against Negotiable Warehouse Receipts (NWRs) i.e. at the same rates as applicable to crop loans for a period of up to six months post harvest.

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