Lok Sabha Question No. 83 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-01-29
Subject: Promotion of Processing of Perishable Vegetables and Fruits
Ministry: FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Asked by: Shri Atul Garg

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 83

ANSWERED ON 29 TH  JANUARY, 2026

## PROMOTION OF PROCESSING OF PERISHABLE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS

## 83.    SHRI ATUL GARG:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  schemes  implemented  to  promote  the  processing  of  perishable vegetables and fruits grown in the peri-urban areas of Ghaziabad for the NCR market;
- (b) the status of the cold chain infrastructure available in the Sahibabad and Loni areas to prevent post-harvest losses;
- (c) the measures taken by the Government to encourage the setting up of micro-processing units for tomato, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables in the said district;
- (d) the details of the assistance provided to the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of Western Uttar Pradesh for value addition and branding; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to set up a dedicated vegetable processing cluster near the Ghazipur/Sahibabad mandis and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)

(a) & (b): Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing a central sector  umbrella  scheme  called  'Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Sampada  Yojana  (PMKSY)'  since 2017-18  across  the  country.  Under  Operation  Greens  component  of  PMKSY  scheme,  the Ministry is providing financial assistance at the rate of 35% of the eligible project cost for projects  in  General  Areas,  and  50%  for  projects  in  Difficult  Areas,  as  well  as  for  projects involving SC/ST, FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations), and SHGs (Self-Help Groups) for value chain development of 10 fruit crops, 11 vegetable crops and shrimp in the identified production  clusters.  The  production  clusters  for  these  crops  are  identified  based  on  the horticultural  production  data  provided  by  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare,  in consultation with the Horticulture Departments of the respective states. Uttar Pradesh has been identified as production cluster for mango, banana, amla, guava, potato, beans, gourds, carrot, cauliflower, okra, green peas & garlic. Under the scheme Ministry has assisted 3 projects for potato processing in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Ghaziabad has not been identified as production cluster for any fruit or vegetable crop under the Operation Greens scheme.

In this regard it may also be mentioned that Ministry of Food Processing Industries does not set up any food processing industry on its own, but to encourage the growth of the food processing  sector,  the  Ministry  is  implementing  various  schemes  for  development  of  food processing infrastructure and setting up of food processing units through various component schemes  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Sampada  Yojana  (PMKSY).  The  proposals  under  the schemes are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI). Proposals are scrutinised as per the provisions of scheme guidelines and eligible applications sanctioned for financial assistance. So  far,  the  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries  has  not  sanctioned  any  cold  chain infrastructure project in Sahibabad and Loni area of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh under Cold Chain or Operation Greens scheme of PMKSY.

(c) : Ministry of  Food  Processing Industries (MoFPI)  is implementing  a  Centrally Sponsored- "Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme" for providing financial, technical and business support for upgradation of micro food processing  enterprises  across  the  country  including  Uttar  Pradesh.  The  details  of  financial assistance  available  for  micro  food  processing  enterprises  including  Farmer  Producer Organisations (FPOs) under the Scheme for all the products including tomato, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables are at Annexure.

(d): Under  Credit  Linked  Subsidy  component  of  PMFME  scheme, loans  for  4  Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have been sanctioned till 31 st December 2025 in Western Uttar Pradesh. Further, under the Branding & Marketing component of the PMFME scheme, support is  primarily  targeted  at  groups  of  FPOs,  SHGs,  cooperatives,  or  Special  Purpose  Vehicles (SPVs) of micro food processing enterprises, with a grant of up to 50% of the eligible project cost. However, no proposal for Branding & Marketing has been received from the State of Uttar Pardesh.

(e) : No such proposal under consideration by the Ministry.

*****

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  PART  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 83 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING 'PROMOTION OF PROCESSING OF PERISHABLE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS'

## The  details  of  financial  assistance  offered  to  the  enterprises  under  Pradhan  Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme are as under:

(i) Support  to  Individual  /  Group  Category  Micro  Enterprises : Credit-linked  capital subsidy @35% of the eligible project cost, maximum ceiling Rs.10 lakh per unit;

(ii) Support to SHGs for seed capital : Seed capital @ Rs. 40,000/- per member of SHG engaged  in  food  processing  for  working  capital  and  purchase  of  small  tools  subject  to maximum of Rs. 4 lakh per SHG Federation.

(iii) Support  for  Common  Infrastructure : Credit  linked  capital  subsidy  @35%  of  the eligible  project  cost  subject  to  maximum  of  Rs.  3  crore  to  support  FPOs,  SHGs, Cooperatives and any Government agency for setting up of common infrastructure. The common infrastructure will also be available for other units and public to utilize on hiring basis for substantial part of the capacity.

(iv) Branding and Marketing Support : Grant upto 50% for Branding and Marketing to groups of FPOs/ SHGs/ Cooperatives or an SPV of micro food processing enterprises.

(v) Capacity Building : The scheme envisages training for Entrepreneurship Development Skilling (EDP) program modified to meet the requirement of food processing industry.

*****