Lok Sabha Question No. 2476 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-03
Subject: Wastage of Agriculture Products
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Mahabali Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  Ots GONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRTBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLTC DISTRIBUTIOil

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2476 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 3RD AUGUST,  2O2'

## WASTAGE OF AGRICULTURE  PRODUCTS

## t2476.  SHR| MAHABALI STNGH:

Will the Minister of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIoN  Tcs+rar erri, ur<-+ sik Trffi{, Fcrur l.+ be pteased  to state:

- (a)  the percentage of the agriculture produce got wasted in the country
- during the Iast three years, the details thereof, State-wise;
- (b)  the extent to which the rate of wastage of agriculture products reduced in the country as a result of the schemes and programmes launched by the.Government  in the aforementioned  period;
- (c)  whether the Government proposes  an initiative to identify
- wastage prone areas due to  poor infrastructure for processing agriculture  product so that these issues could be solvedl and the of
- (d) if so, the details  thereofif

## ANSWER

MIilISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF RURAL DEVELOPMEilT AND coNsuMER AFFAIRS, FOOD &  pUBLtC  DTSTRIBUTTON (sADHVt NTRANJAN JYOTT)

(a) & (b) The Gentral  lnstitute of Post Harvest Engineering  and Technology (GIPHET),  an lnstatute  under the lndian Gouncil of Agricultural Research (ICAR)  has conducted a study in 2013-14 sponsored by Ministry of Food Processing lndustries, Government of  India on  (Assessment  of Quantitative Harvest and Post-Harvest Losses of Major Grops/Gommodities in lndiatt. The study included assessment  of harvest and post harvest Iosses of 45 crops and livestock produce like cereals,  putses, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables,  plantation  crops, spices, fish, eggs, pouttry meat and milk. The losses have been assessed in farm operations (harvesting, collection, sorting, grading,  drying, packaging and transport) and storage channels (farm, godown/cold storage, wholesaler, retailer and processing unit).

As per the study report, the harvest  and post-harvest  tosses  of cereals ranged from 4.65 - 5.g9o/o1for purses  ranged from 6.s6 -  g.41yo,  tor major fruits ranged from 6.7o  o/o lo ls.ggo/o  and for vegetables  the losses ranged lrom 4.58o/o  to 12.44o/o.  The details on crop wise losses as assessed by the study are in Annexure.

No further study has been conducted to assess euantitative Harvest and Post-Harvest Losses of Grops/Gommodities  to compare  reduction of losses.

Hoivever,  foodgrain stocks under Gentral  poot  are issued by Food Gorporation of lndia (Fcl) to states/UTs  as per the ailocation.  The quantum of foodgrains including wheat and rice damaged FGI for the last three years is as under:

| Year    | Damage accrued in FCt liFig. in Lakh tonnes)   | o/o ale ol damaged foodgrains w, n t. quanlily offtake handled   |
|---------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2018.19 | 0.o5                                           | o.o{o                                                            |
| 2019-20 | o.02                                           | o.o04                                                            |
| 2020-21 | o.o2                                           | 0.o03                                                            |

Owing to various steps taken by the Government,  the foodgrains accrued as damaged/ non-issuable  in FGI has come down from o.o5 lakh tonnes in 2O{8-19 to O.O2 takh tonnes in2O2O-21.

(c) & (d)r clPllET has been working on R&D activities towards the development  of tools, machines  and technologies for storage, post harvest processing  and value addition  of agricultural commodities  to minimize the losses. The lnstitute established  around 22g agro processing  centres (APc) and value addition to  farm produce.  Hands on  trainings/ demonstrations to farmers, entrepreneurs and self-help groups  engaged in agriculture  and related activities  to create aware[ess in reduction of postharvest losses are undertaken.

*****

## ANNEXURE  REFI=RRED  TO lN REPLY TO PART (a)&(b) OF UNSTARRED OUESTION NO.2476 DUE FOR AI{SWER ON O3.O8.2O2{ IN LOK SABHA.

## DETAILS ON OUANTITATIVE LOSSES OF MAJOR CROPS AT NATIONAL LEVEL

| s. No.     | Grop                 | Overall Total Loss (o/o) (Farm operation + 17slreps6 1   |
|------------|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| 1          | lPaddy               | 5,53                                                     |
| 2.         | UVheat               | 4.93                                                     |
| 3.         | i[,laize             | 4.65                                                     |
| 4.         | lBajra               | 5.23                                                     |
| 5.         | lBorghum             | 5.99                                                     |
| 6.         | lPigeon pea          | 6.36                                                     |
| 7.         | llhick pea           | 4.41                                                     |
| 8 q        | lBlack gram          | 7.O7                                                     |
| llraen     | orartr               | 6_6                                                      |
| 10.        | lVlustard            | 5.54                                                     |
| 11.        |                      | 3.08                                                     |
| 12.        | Gotton seed lioybean | 9.96                                                     |
| {3.        | tiafflower           | 3.24                                                     |
| 14.        | tiunflower           | 5.26                                                     |
| {5.        | Groundnut            | 6.03                                                     |
| 16.        | /lpple               | {o.39                                                    |
| 17.        | Ilanana              | 7.76                                                     |
| {8.        | ()itrus              | 9.69                                                     |
| {9.        | Grapes               | 8.63                                                     |
| 20.        | Guava                | r5.88                                                    |
| 21.        | Itllango             | 9.{6                                                     |
| 22. Papaya |                      | 6.7                                                      |
| 23.        | Siapota              | 9.73                                                     |
| 24.        | Gabbage              | 9.37                                                     |
| 25.        | Gauliflower          | 9.56                                                     |
| 26.        | Green pea            | 7.45                                                     |
| 27.        | llllushroom          | 9.51                                                     |
| 24.        | Onion                | 4.20                                                     |
| 29.        | Potato               | 7.32                                                     |
| 30.        | f'omato              | 12.44                                                    |
| 31.        | f'apioca             | 4.58                                                     |