Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare addresses questions regarding the construction of warehouses/godowns via the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme and other initiatives to mitigate post-harvest losses. The AMI scheme supports godown construction in rural areas by providing subsidies to various beneficiaries. Several schemes including AIF and MIDH are also being implemented to improve storage facilities and reduce crop damage. The information provided is current as of August 19, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) Scheme:
* AMI is a sub-scheme of the Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM).
* It provides subsidies for the construction of godowns/warehouses in rural areas.
* Subsidies are 25% or 33.33% of the capital cost, based on the beneficiary category.
* Eligible beneficiaries include individuals, farmers, FPOs, cooperatives, and state agencies.
* The scheme is demand-driven.
Dharashiv District (Maharashtra) Storage Projects:
* Six AMI projects were sanctioned, creating 21,027 MT of storage capacity.
* Total subsidy release for these projects was 36.75 lakh.
* 20 warehouse projects sanctioned under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with a loan amount of 18.40 crore as of June 30, 2025.
Additional Government Initiatives:
* Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) provides financial assistance for cold storage construction/expansion/modernization (up to 5000 MT capacity).
* Credit-linked back-ended subsidies for cold storage are 35% of project cost in general areas and 50% in hilly/scheduled areas.
* Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) aims to empower farmers.
* Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements PMKSY, offering credit-linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) for food processing/preservation infrastructure, including cold storages and refrigerated vehicles.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
* Impact: Reduced post-harvest losses due to improved storage infrastructure and access to better technologies through FPOs. Increased income potential through better market readiness.
* Action Required: Explore and utilize available schemes like AMI, MIDH, and FPO initiatives to improve storage facilities and market access.
Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs):
* Impact: Enhanced role in reducing post-harvest losses through collective strength, resources, and access to technologies. Increased opportunities through the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs.
* Action Required: Register and actively participate in the Central Sector Scheme for Formation and Promotion of 10,000 FPOs and leverage collective resources to minimize post harvest losses.
State Governments/Agencies:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and monitoring schemes like AMI and MIDH within their respective jurisdictions.
* Action Required: Facilitate the implementation of AMI and MIDH, process applications, and ensure timely disbursement of subsidies. Submit Annual Action Plans (AAP) for horticulture activities to avail MIDH assistance.
Entrepreneurs in Food Processing:
* Impact: Opportunities to establish food processing/preservation infrastructure (including cold storages) with financial assistance from PMKSY.
* Action Required: Apply for credit-linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) under PMKSY for setting up food processing and preservation infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure AMI scheme: A subscheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing ISAM under which assistance is provided for construction of godowns warehouses in the rural areas in the States to enhance the storage capacity for agriculture produce.
NAFED: Implies National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India
Dharashiv district in Maharashtra: A district in the state of Maharashtra, India, where soybean farmers are reportedly facing post-harvest crop losses.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund AIF: A fund that provides loans for warehouse projects to improve access to scientific storage and reduce crop damage.
Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing ISAM: The umbrella scheme under which the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme operates.
Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture MIDH: A mission that provides financial assistance for horticulture activities, including construction/expansion/modernization of cold storages.
Farmer Producer Organizations FPOs: Organizations that play a significant role in reducing post-harvest losses by providing collective strength, resources, and access to better technologies and practices to farmers.
PMKSY: Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, a Central Sector Umbrella Scheme implemented by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) to create post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities.
O.I.H
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4313
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19TH AUGUST, 2025
CONSTRUCTION OF WAREHOUSES/GODOWNS THROUGH AMI SCHEME
4313. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:
SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण
मं(cid:361)ी be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is planning to construct warehouses/godowns through
Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme or through NAFED;
(b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether Soybean farmers of Dharashiv district in Maharashtra are facing post-
harvest crop losses due to lack of adequate storage facilities;
(d) if so, the estimated quantity of such loss along with the economic loss caused
thereby and the reasons therefor; and
(e) the steps taken by the Government to prevent such losses being suffered by the
farmers?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475) मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) & (b): The Government is implementing Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI),
a sub-scheme of Integrated Scheme for Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) under which
assistance is provided for construction of godowns/ warehouses in the rural areas in the
States to enhance the storage capacity for agriculture produce. Under the scheme,
Government provides subsidy at the rate of 25% and 33.33% on capital cost of the
project based on the category of eligible beneficiary. Assistance is available to
Individuals, Farmers, Group of farmers/growers, Agri-preneurs, Registered Farmer
Produce Organizations (FPOs), Cooperatives, and state agencies etc. The scheme is
demand driven.
(c) & (d): In Dharashiv district of Maharashtra, 6 storage projects were sanctioned under
AMI, creating a storage capacity of 21,027 MT, with a total subsidy release of ₹36.75
lakh. Additionally, under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), 20 warehouse
projects have been sanctioned with a loan amount of ₹18.40 crore as of 30th June 2025.
Efforts under schemes like AIF and AMI are significantly improving access to scientific
storage, thereby reducing the risk of potential crop damage and improving market
readiness.(e): In order to address the post-harvest losses, in addition to AMI and AIF,
Government is implementing various schemes under which financial assistance is
provided:-
(i) For storage facilities under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture
(MIDH) 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. For Cold Storage 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 hilly and scheduled areas, through
respective State Horticulture Missions.
(ii) Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) play a significant role in reducing post-
harvest losses, as they help farmers by providing collective strength, resources,
and access to better technologies and practices. In Central Sector Scheme for
“Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)”,
10,000 FPOs have been registered.
(iii) Further, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements Central
Sector Umbrella Scheme - PMKSY to create post-harvest infrastructure and
processing facilities to boost the overall development of the food processing
sector, including reduction in post-harvest losses. The component schemes
under PMKSY provide credit linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the
form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing/
preservation infrastructure which, inter-alia, includes cold storages and
refrigerated vehicles to minimize post-harvest losses.
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