The cold storage capacity in 2009 was 24.45 million MT. An additional cold storage capacity of 6.42 million MT has been created since January 2010 till March 2013 under various schemes of the Government.
All India Coordinated Research Project on Post-harvest Technology, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) conducted a study at National level and made public its report in September, 2012.
As per this report estimated economic value of harvest and post-harvest losses of crops and livestock produce was Rs.44,143 crore at 2007-08 prices which includes losses due to shortage of storage.
The Government is continuing implementation of following schemes during XIIth plan period under which grant-in-aid is provided to entrepreneurs for setting up of cold storages in the country.
i. National Horticulture Mission (NHM)
ii. Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan States (HMNEH)
iii. National Horticulture Board (NHB)
iv. Scheme for Development and strengthening of Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Grading and Standardization
v. Scheme of Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI)
vi. Scheme of Agricultural Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)
vii. Scheme of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
The cold storage component of these schemes are project based.
Ministry of Agriculture is implementing Central Sector Scheme of Marketing Research and Information Network (MRIN) since March 2000 with an objective to collect and disseminate price and market related information in respect of different agricultural commodities including horticultural produce for the benefit of farmers.
The scheme helps the farmers including growers of fruits and vegetables to take the timely and appropriate marketing decisions of their produce to avoid the wastages to certain extent.
National Horticulture Board (NHB) implements a scheme “Market Information Service Scheme for Horticulture Crops” to generate information on production, wholesale and retail prices, arrivals and trends in various markets of the country for important fruits, vegetables & flowers for 31 markets on daily basis.
The information is displayed on its web site for the benefit of farmers. NHB also publishes a monthly Market Information Bulletin under the scheme.
The information on weather is made available to farmers through farmers portal of Department of Agriculture & Cooperation developed in association with Indian Meteorological Department.
This information was given by Shri Tariq Anwar, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Industries in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.
