Lok Sabha Question No. 395 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Cold Storage facilities for Perishable Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Dilip Saikia

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 395

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 22 TH  JULY, 2025

## COLD STORAGE FACILITIES FOR PERISHABLE CROPS

†395. SHRI DILIP SAIKIA :

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has any scheme to increase cold storage facilities for perishable crops, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether any steps are being taken by the Government to make the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana more useful and effective, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to increase financial assistance to farmers for practicing organic farming; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a): Government is implementing various schemes under which financial assistance is  available  for  setting  up  of  cold  storage  for  perishable  horticultural  produce throughout the country.

Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  is  implementing  Mission  for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) under which financial assistance is provided for various horticulture activities including Construction/Expansion/ Modernization  of  cold  storages  of  capacity  up  to  5000  MT  in  the  country  on  the basis  of  Annual  Action  Plan  (AAP)  received  from  States/UTs.  The  component  of Cold Storage  is  demand/entrepreneur driven for  which  Government  assistance  in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy is available at the rate of 35% of the project cost in general areas and 50% of the project cost in North Eastern & hilly States and scheduled areas through respective State Horticulture Missions.

Under the scheme, assistance is available for individuals, Groups of farmers/ growers/  consumers,  Partnership/  Proprietary  firms,  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs), Farmers  Producer  Organization  (FPOs),  Companies,  Corporations,  Cooperatives, Cooperative  Marketing  Federations,  Local  bodies,  Agricultural  Produce  Market Committees (APMCs) & Marketing Boards and State Governments.

Besides,  National  Horticulture  Board  (NHB)  is  implementing  a  scheme namely 'Capital Investment Subsidy for  Construction/Expansion  /Modernization  of Cold Storages  and Storages for Horticulture  Products'.  Under  the  scheme,  credit linked  back-ended subsidy at  the  rate  of 35%  of the  capital  cost  of the  project in general  areas  and  50%  in  case  of  North  East,  hilly  &  scheduled  areas  for construction/expansion/modernization  of  cold  storage  and  Controlled  Atmosphere (CA) storage of capacity above 5000 MT and up to 20000 MT is available.

Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  (MoFPI)  implements  a  Scheme  for Integrated Cold Chain, Food Processing and Preservation Infrastructure as one of the  components  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Sampada  Yojana  (PMKSY)  with  the objective of reducing  post-harvest losses  of horticulture and  non-horticulture produce and providing remunerative price to farmers for their  produce. Under the scheme, Ministry provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 35% for general areas and 50% for North East and Himalayan States, Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) areas and Islands for storage and transport infrastructure and at the rate of 50% and 75% respectively for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of Rs. 10.00 crore per project  for  setting  up  of  integrated  cold  chain  projects  including  irradiation  facility. Standalone cold storages are not covered under the Scheme.

All the above schemes are demand/entrepreneur driven through commercial ventures for which government assistance is in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy/grant-in-aid  and  is  provided  based  on  the  proposals  received  from  the States/entrepreneur.

Further,  to  strengthen  agriculture  infrastructure  in  the  country,  Government has launched Agriculture Infrastructure Funds (AIF) of Rs. 1.00 lakh crore. Under AIF, there is provision for collateral free term loan upto Rs. 2.00 crore and interest subvention of 3% on the term loan availed for creation of post-harvest infrastructure including establishment of cold storages.

(b): Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing a Central Sector Scheme  i.e. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). PMFBY  offers comprehensive risk coverage for crops from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages in areas notified by the State Governments. It safeguards farmers against losses due to widespread natural calamities such as floods, droughts, cyclones, hailstorms, and pest attacks, as well as localized risks like landslides, cloudbursts, and inundation. The  scheme  also  covers  post-harvest  losses  caused  by  events  like  unseasonal rains and cyclones, along with risks related to prevented sowing.

Further,  the  Government  has  taken  several  steps  to  make  the  Pradhan Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  more  effective  and  farmer-friendly.  These include  introduction  of  technology-based  tools  like  YES-Tech  (Yield  Estimation based on Technology) for yield estimation mechanism for Crop Loss assessment and  Yield  estimation,  WINDS  (Weather  Information  Network  &  Data  System)  to create a strong database of hyper-local weather to use for all farmer and farming oriented  services,  and  the  Digi-Claim  Payment  Module  for  real-time  tracking  of claims.  In  addition  to  that,  AIDE  (App  for  Intermediary  Enrolment),  a  mobile  app, has  been  launched  for  door-step  enrolment  of  farmers,  while  the  Krishi  Rakshak portal  and  toll-free  helpline  (14447)  enable  easy  grievance  redressal.  Operational Guidelines have been revised based on stakeholder feedback in 2018, 2022, and 2023.  Additionally,  IEC  campaigns  like Meri  Policy  Mere  Hath and Fasal  Bima Pathshala have been  undertaken to increase awareness  and  transparency, ensuring financial protection and trust among farmers. (c) & (d): Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for promoting the organic farming in all the States/UTs except  North  Eastern  States  and  Mission  Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) for the North Eastern States. Both schemes stress  on  end-to-end  support  to  farmers  engaged  in  organic  farming  i.e.  from production to processing, certification and marketing. Primary focus of the schemes is to form organic clusters, with preference to small and marginal farmers, to create a supply chain. Both the schemes are implemented through State/UT Governments. Under  PKVY,  assistance  of  Rs.  31,500  per  ha  in  3  years  is  provided  for promotion  of  organic  farming.  Out  of  this,  assistance  of  Rs.  15,000  per  ha  is provided  to  farmers  through  Direct  Benefit  Transfer  for  on-farm/off-farm  organic inputs including organic compost. Financial assistance of Rs. 4,500/ha for 3 years is provided for marketing, packaging, branding, value addition etc. Rs. 3,000/ha for 3 years is provide for certification and residue analysis. Assistance is also provided @ Rs. 9,000/ha for 3 years for training, awareness & capacity building. Under MOVCDNER, assistance of Rs. 46,500 per ha in 3 years is provided for creation of Farmers Producer Organization, support to farmers for organic inputs etc.  Out  of  this,  assistance  @  Rs.  32,500  per  ha  is  provided  to  farmers  for  offfarm/on-farm  organic  inputs  under  the  scheme  including  Rs.  15,000  as  District Benefit Transfer to the farmers. Financial assistance of Rs. 10,000 per ha in 3 years is  provided  for  activities  of  ICS  management,  training  and  certification  (NPOP). Financial  assistance  of  Rs.  4,000  per  ha  in  3  years  is  provided  for  value  chain marketing at State level.

There is no proposal under consideration to increase the financial assistance beyond what is presently provided under the two schemes of PKVY & MOVCDNER.

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