**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of Railways to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha (No. 1753) regarding concessional freight services for agricultural items. It outlines measures taken to facilitate the transportation of agricultural produce for small farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs). Key elements include delegated power to Zonal Railways, reduced parcel composition, concessional parcel rates, planned Kisan Rail services and intra-zonal parcel express service with effect from 12.12.2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Parcel Rakes Composition:**
* Power delegated to Zonal Railways to reduce composition of Parcel Rakes.
* Mixed perishable goods can be transported with up to 15 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR instead of standard composition of 20 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR.
* **Concessional Parcel Rates:**
* Orange, Mango and Banana traffic moved in BCN/BCNA/BCX/BCXN Rakes are charged at concessional Parcel Rates (Scale-P minus 50%).
* **Kisan Rail Services:**
* Potential circuits for movement of perishables are identified with input from various Agriculture and Fisheries departments and local bodies.
* Kisan Rail services are planned based on demand and operational feasibility.
* Since August 7, 2020, approximately 2,364 Kisan Rail services have been operated, transporting about 7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables.
* **Intra-Zonal Parcel Express Train:**
* An intra-zonal parcel express train is scheduled to operate over Southern Railway between Royapuram (Chennai) to Manglore Central w.e.f 12.12.2025.
* Stoppages include Salem, Erode, Uttukuli, Tiruppur, Podanur, Coimbatur, Palakkad, Shoranur, Tirur, Kozhikkode, Thalassery, Kannur and Kasargod stations.
* **Refrigerated Container Movement:**
* 47,236 TEUs have been moved in refrigerated containers by CONCOR, carrying perishables.
* CONCOR has temperature-controlled storage facilities at Nashik, New Azadpur, Dadri and Sonipat (investment of approximately Rs 129 crore).
**Impact Analysis**
**Small and Marginal Farmers/FPOs**
* **Impact:** Benefits from facilitated and potentially cheaper transportation of their agricultural produce.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the available services and coordinate with Zonal Railways for transportation.
**Zonal Railways**
* **Impact:** Increased responsibility in managing Parcel Rakes composition and rates.
* **Action Required:** Implement the delegated power to reduce Parcel Rakes composition and ensure concessional rates are applied appropriately.
**Farmers and traders from the adjacent districts.**
* **Impact:** Will get benefit from intra-zonal parcel express train to transport their farm produce.
* **Action Required:** To utilise the service to transport their farm produce.
Key Entities Referenced
Kisan Rail: A scheme for transporting agricultural produce using rail services.
Ministry of Railways: The ministry responsible for policies related to railways, including freight services.
Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs): Organizations of agricultural producers, key beneficiaries of the concessional freight services.
CONCOR: Container Corporation of India, involved in moving perishable cargo.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1753
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025
CONCESSIONAL FREIGHT SERVICES FOR AGRICULTURAL ITEMS
1753. MS. S JOTHIMANI:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has considered/implemented any schemes to
provide zero-fare/concessional freight services for transporting
agricultural produce particularly for small and marginal farmers and
Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the current status of such schemes including Kisan Rail and whether
districts like Karur, Dindigul, Tiruchirappalli and Pudukkottai known for
banana, rice, turmeric, drumstic, vegetable, flowers and other perishables
have been included/benefitted;
(c) whether the Government will introduce dedicated cold chain rail
coaches/refrigerated parcel vans on key agri-routes to prevent spoilage
and ensure fair market access; and
(d) if so, the timeline and regions identified for such cold chain services and
if not, the reasons for excluding high-output districts like Karur from
these logistics interventions?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d): In order to facilitate transportation of agricultural produce of small
and marginal farmers and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), the power
has been delegated to Zonal Railways to reduce the composition of Parcel
Rakes for transportation of mixed perishable goods traffic including fruits
and vegetables up to 15 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR instead of standard
composition of 20 Parcel vans plus 1 SLR. Further, Orange, Mango and
Banana traffic when moved in BCN/BCNA/BCX/BCXN Rakes are charged at
concessional Parcel Rates (Scale-P minus 50%).
--2/--2-
Potential circuits for movement of vegetables, fruits and other
perishables are identified in consultation with Ministry of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare and Agriculture/Animal Husbandry/Fisheries Departments of
State Governments as well as local bodies and agencies, Mandis etc., and
Kisan Rail services are planned on the basis of demands placed taking into
consideration the operational feasibility.
Since the launch of Kisan Rail service on 7th August 2020, Railways
have operated around 2,364 Kisan Rail services, transporting approximately
7.9 lakh tonnes of perishables.
Further, an intra-zonal parcel express train is scheduled to operate
over Southern Railway between Royapuram in Chennai to Manglore Central
and back w.e.f 12.12.2025 with stoppages at Salem, Erode, Uttukuli,
Tiruppur, Podanur, Coimbatur, Palakkad, Shoranur, Tirur, Kozhikkode,
Thalassery, Kannur and Kasargod stations. Farmers and traders from the
adjacent districts can utilize the service to transport their farm produce.
A total of 47,236 TEUs have been moved in refrigerated containers by
CONCOR carrying perishable cargo including fruits, vegetables, milk
products, fish, meat and other food items. The temperature controlled
storage facilities of CONCOR have been established at Nashik, New Azadpur,
Dadri and Sonipat at a total investment of about Rs 129 crore.
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