Lok Sabha Question No. 3353 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Storage Systems to reduce Food Loss
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Hibi Eden

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3353 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21 st  MARCH, 2023

## STORAGE SYSTEMS TO REDUCE FOOD LOSS

## 3353. SHRI HIBI EDEN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

(a) whether as per several studies and reports, including one by ICAR-CIPHET, food losses  are  attributed  to  a  bumper  crop,  damages  during  storage/  transport  and consumer food wastage, if so, the details of steps that the Government is taking to mitigate these losses;

(b) whether the Government is considering updating logistics and storage systems using scientific methods in order to reduce food losses;

- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(d)  the  details  of  steps  that  the  Government  intends  to  take  to  assure  and  secure markets and prices so that farmers are not forced to dispose of the bumper crop out of distress?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ षि और षकसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  to (c): Indian Council of Agricultural Research- Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering and Technology (ICAR-CIPHET) conducted the study in 2015. However, as  per  the  latest  study  conducted  by  NABARD  Consultancy  Services  Pvt.  Ltd. (NABCONS),  funded  by  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  (MoFPI),  the  postharvest losses of: cereals ranged from 3.89%  - 5.92%, pulses ranged from 5.65% 6.74%, oilseeds ranged from 2.87% - 7.51%, fruits ranged from 6.02 % to 15.05%; and for vegetables the losses ranged from 4.87% - 11.61%. The major causes include biotic factors like insects, rodents, pests etc., mechanical damage during transport, handling and storage  as  well  as  spoilage  and  quality  deterioration  due  to  abiotic  factors  like humidity, temperature, moisture etc.

Steps taken by the Government to mitigate these losses include:

- i.The Ministry of Food Processing Industries implements a Central Sector umbrella scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY) since 2016-17 for overall growth and development of the sector with the aim to augment preservation and processing capacity so as to reduce post-harvest losses, create employment, and enhancing value addition & increase exports of processed foods.

- ii.Food Corporation of India (FCI) implements the following schemes for modernization or upgradation of storage systems for food grains: 1) Construction of Silos under PPP mode 2) Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme 3) FCI aims at positioning bulk logistic operations through specialized wagons/containers between silos, which can reduce losses of food grains during transportation in comparison to conventional rake movement by avoiding multiple handling in bagged consignments.
- iii.Various  steps  have  been  taken  for  updating  logistics  and  storage  systems  using scientific  methods  at  Central  Warehousing  Corporation  (CWC).  The  Warehouse Management System software for online transactions is implemented to monitor the logistics and storage system on a pan India basis.
- iv.ICAR-CIPHET recommended norms for reducing storage losses in FCI and Central Warehousing  Corporation  (CWC)  and  efficient  warehouse  management.  ICAR through its research activities develops post-harvest machinery, storage structures and protocols, high value/value added products and conducts trainings for farmers and other stakeholders for reducing post-harvest losses of crops and commodities.

## (d): The following measures are in place so that farmers are not forced to dispose of the bumper crop out of distress:

(i) Under the Operation Greens scheme of PMKSY, there is provision for short term support of 50% subsidy on cost of transportation and storage for fruits & vegetables for evacuation of surplus production from production centres during the glut situation. This helps farmers/growers of eligible crops from making distress sale.

(ii) Department  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  implements  the Marketing Research and Information Network, sub scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural  Marketing  (ISAM),  since  2000  to  link  important  Agricultural  Produce Markets spread all over the country and the State Agriculture Marketing Boards and Directorates spread over the country and collect, collate and disseminate the mandi prices & arrival data.

(iii) In order to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers, the DA&FW implements Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  and  Price  Support  Scheme  (PSS).  PSS  is implemented for procurement of oilseeds, pulses & copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) and MIS for procurement of perishable agricultural and horticultural crops.

(iv) Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) - Six year PMFBY was launched in 2016 addressing problems of high premium rates for farmers and reduction in sum insured  due  to  capping.  In  past  6  Years  of  implementation  -  38  crore  farmer applications has been enrolled and over 12.37 crore (Provisional) farmer applicants have received claims. During this period nearly Rs. 25,252 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs. 1,30,015 crore (Provisional) have been paid to them. Thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received about Rs. 514 as claims.

(v) Fixing  of  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  at  one-and-a  half  times  the  cost  of production-

- 1)  Government has increased the MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19.
- 2)  MSP for Paddy (common) has increased to Rs. 2040 per quintal in 2022- 23 from Rs. 1310 per quintal in 2013-14.
- 3)  MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 1400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs. 2125 per quintal in 2022-23.

(vi) Through e-procurement module deployed by procuring agencies, farmers get latest/  updated  information  regarding  minimum  support  price  declared,  nearest purchase center, date of procurement etc. This reduces the waiting period for delivery of  stock  by  the  farmers  and  enables  the  farmer  to  deliver  stock  as  per  his/her convenience in the nearest mandi.

(vii) Various procurement portals developed by procuring agencies have now been unified  into  Central  Food  Grain  Procurement  Portal  (CFPP)  to  share  identified Minimum Threshold Parameters towards development of an application ecosystem, wherein requisite information in respect of procurement is available at single source for monitoring and strategic decision making and to ensure uniformity and transparency.

*****