Lok Sabha Question No. 4380 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Storage of Grains
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Vincent H Pala

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4380

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH  MARCH, 2023

## STORAGE OF GRAINS

4380. SHRI VINCENT H. PALA:

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

- (a) whether the storage of grains after harvest  is  a  problem for  the farmers  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  directed  the  universities  and  other  research institutions for developing innovative ideas and procedures for reducing storage loss of onions in the country; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERSWELFARE

क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल्याण मंत्री

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH  TOMAR)

(a): The Government is implementing Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), a sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) under which assistance is provided for construction of godowns/ warehouses in the rural areas in  the  States  to enhance the storage capacity for agriculture produce. Under the scheme, Government provides subsidy at the rate of 25% and 33.33% on capital cost  of  the  project  based  on  the  category  of  eligible  beneficiary.  Assistance  is available to Individuals, Farmers, Group  of farmers/growers, Agri-preneurs, Registered  Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs),  Cooperatives,  and  state agencies etc. The scheme is demand driven.

Since 01.04.2001 and up to 28.02.2023, a total of 42,138 storage infrastructure  projects  (Godowns),  with  storage  capacity  of  740.88  Lakh  MT  for beneficiaries including farmers have been assisted under AMI sub-scheme in the country.

Further,  Government  is  implementing  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  Agriculture Infrastructure  Fund  (AIF)  of  Rs.  1,00,000  Crore  to  provide  a  medium-long  term loan facility for investment in viable projects for post-harvest market infrastructure including  warehousing  facility  and  community  farming  assets  through  interest subvention  and  financial  support.  Under  the  scheme,  a  total  number  of  9215 applications  for  warehouse  facilities  have  been  sanctioned  for  a  total  amount  of Rs. 8610 Cr.

(b) to (c): As  informed  by  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research(ICAR),    the Central  Institute  of  Agricultural  Engineering  (ICAR-CIAE),  Bhopal  is  working  on development of  storage  structures  and  process  technologies  for  reducing  postharvest losses. The following technologies have been developed:

1.  Modular onion storage structure (1 ton and 3 ton capacity) - Technology has been commercialized to M/s. GV Industries, Dhar, Madhya Pradesh
2.  Solar PV based cold storage for transient storage of fruits and vegetables
3.  Modified atmosphere  packaging  and  structure for different fruits  and vegetables
4.  Ozone based fumigation system for storage of pulses
5.  Sensor based technologies for monitoring grain health during storage
6.  Chitosan coated bags for storage of selected foodgrains
7.  Flexible  PVC  storage  structure,  coupled  with  Temperature,  RH  and  CO2 sensor based alert system has been developed for on farm storage of food grains, which has the provision of duct, for fumigation and aeration.
8.  Vacuum hermetic storage system with sensor based alert system, as an on farm, chemical free, bag storage structure for food grains.

Further,  a  National  Multi-stakeholders  Workshop  on  'Recent  Advances  in Processing, Storage, and Marketing of Farm Produce for Agri-business for Small and  Marginal  Farmers',  was  organized  at  ICAR-CIAE  Bhopal  during  December 22-23,  2022,  in  collaboration  with  Akshya  Krishi  Parivar  and  Bhau  Saheb Bhuskute Smriti Lok Nyas, Govind Nagar, Madhya Pradesh. The objectives of the workshop  were  to  share  experiences  and  brainstorm  on  traditional  storage, processing,  and  value  addition  techniques  and  their  contemporary  relevance; develop  a  farmer-centric,  decentralised  storage,  processing,  value  addition,  and marketing  system;  and  shift  from  market-driven  agriculture  to  producer-driven agriculture.

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