Lok Sabha Question No. 1441 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-12
Subject: Spoilage of Fruits and Vegetables
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Sudarshan Bhagat, Jaswantsinh Sumanbhai Bhabhor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1441

ANSWERED ON 12 TH  DECEMBER, 2023

## SPOILAGE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES

## 1441    SHRI SUDARSHAN BHAGAT: SHRI JASWANT SINGH BHABHOR:

Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:

- (a) the  number  of  cold  chain  and  cold  storage  facilities  constructed  through  the  Public Private  Partnership  (PPP)  model  by  the  Government  to  mitigate  the  spoilage  of  fruits  and vegetables nationwide, with details on their geographical locations and storage capacities; and
- (b) the  details  on  the  actions  undertaken  by  the  Ministry  to  curtail  agricultural  produce wastage and elevate the processing percentage in the country, with a particular emphasis on the establishment of backward and forward linkages as part of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI PASHUPATI KUMAR PARAS)

- (a)      The Ministry of Food Processing Industries does not construct any cold chain and cold storage facilities through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model. However, the Ministry is  implementing  a  Central  Sector  Umbrella  Scheme  -  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY). It is a comprehensive package for creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet. It not only provides boost to the growth of food processing sector in the country but also helps in providing better returns to farmers  and  creating  employment  opportunities  especially  in  rural  areas  thereby  reducing wastage  of  agricultural  produce,  increasing  the  processing  level  and  enhancing  export  of processed foods. Under various sub-schemes of PMKSY, financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid is provided for setting up of food processing projects. However, no standalone cold storage facility is supported under PMKSY.
- (b)     Under  various  sub-schemes  of  PMKSY  viz.  Operation  Greens  Scheme  -  Long  Term Interventions, Integrated Cold Chain & Value Addition Infrastructure Scheme and Creation/ Expansion of Food Processing and Preservation Capacities Scheme, financial assistance in the form of grants-in-aid  is  provided  for  setting  up  of  food  processing  projects  which  helps  to curtail produce wastage and elevate processing percentage in the country.

Under the sub-scheme for Creation of Backward & Forward Linkages (CBFL) of PMKSY, integrated food processing projects with the cold storages were supported. However, this subscheme  has  been  discontinued  with  effect  from  01.04.2021  with  provision  for  committed liabilities  of  ongoing projects only. Under the sub-scheme, 61 projects have been approved since inception (2017-18) with project cost of Rs. 693.30 crore including grants-in-aid of Rs. 167.90 crore and private investment of Rs. 527.16 crore, which helps in creation of processing capacity of 5.02 lakh MT and preservation capacity of 3.78 Lakh MT.

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