Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare provides details on decentralized storage capacity for foodgrains in India as of August 5, 2025. It outlines the number of cold storages, steps to increase storage capacity, and plans for decentralized storage, including a focus on Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The initiative includes a grain storage plan in the cooperative sector and leverages various government schemes.
Key Points / Main Content:
Cold Storage Capacity:
• As of the stated date, there are 8815 cold storages in India with a total capacity of 402.18 lakh MT.
• Annexure I provides a state-wise breakdown of cold storage facilities.
Food Corporation of India (FCI) Storage:
• FCI has a total covered storage capacity of 821.36 Lakh MT as of 01.07.2025.
• FCI uses owned, hired, and state agency storage for Central Pool foodgrain stock.
• FCI assesses storage gaps and creates/hires capacity through various schemes.
Schemes for Increasing Storage Capacity:
• Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme.
• Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25.
• Construction of Silos under PPP mode.
• Hiring of godowns from CWCs/SWCs/State Agencies.
• Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS).
• Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization.
• CAP Hiring Scheme 2025.
• Modified PEG scheme for NE Hilly states with a 15-year guarantee period.
Decentralized Storage Plan:
• The government approved a grain storage plan in the cooperative sector on 31.05.2023.
• The plan is rolled out as a pilot project, including in Maharashtra.
• Focus is on creating agri-infrastructure at PACS level, including warehouses and processing units.
• The plan leverages schemes like AIF, AMI, MIDH, SMAM, PMFME, and PMKSY.
• The project cost for each PACS varies based on storage capacity and other requirements.
• Interest Subvention under AIF is dovetailed with subsidies for infrastructure development at PACS level.
Impact Analysis:
Farmers:
• Impact: Access to decentralized storage capacity through PACS, potentially reducing post-harvest losses and improving price realization.
• Action Required: Engage with local PACS to understand available storage facilities and participate in the government schemes.
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS):
• Impact: Opportunity to expand infrastructure with government support, diversify services (warehousing, processing), and increase income.
• Action Required: Develop proposals leveraging government schemes (AIF, AMI, etc.) to establish or modernize storage facilities and other agri-infrastructure.
Food Corporation of India (FCI):
• Impact: Reduced pressure on central storage facilities due to decentralized storage options.
• Action Required: Monitor the impact of the decentralized storage plan on procurement and buffer stock management, adjust central storage capacity plans accordingly.
Ministry of Cooperation:
• Impact: Responsible for overseeing the implementation of the grain storage plan in the cooperative sector.
• Action Required: Continue to coordinate with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure effective implementation of the plan and monitor its progress.
State Governments:
• Impact: Need to support the implementation of the decentralized storage plan within their respective states.
• Action Required: Facilitate the integration of state-level schemes with the central government's plan and provide necessary assistance to PACS in accessing funding and technical support.
Key Entities Referenced
Maharashtra: A state in India, specifically mentioned regarding cold storage facilities and pilot project implementation.
Food Corporation of India (FCI): An organization responsible for storing wheat and rice after procurement for PDS operations and maintaining buffer stock.
Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme: A scheme used by FCI to create or hire storage capacities.
Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25: A scheme used by FCI to create or hire storage capacities.
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS): A cooperative society at the village level that provides agricultural credit and other services to farmers. They are a focal point for the decentralized grain storage plan.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): A Government of India scheme used for creation and modernization of infrastructure facilities at PACS level.
Amrawati, Maharashtra: A district in Maharashtra where a PACS godown has been constructed.
World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector: A plan approved by the Government of India to set up decentralized food grain storage capacity through PACS.
O.I.H
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2695
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05TH AUGUST, 2025
DECENTRALIZED STORAGE CAPACITY FOR FOODGRAINS
2695. SHRI NARAYAN TATU RANE:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ(cid:874)ष एवं (cid:873)कसान क(cid:227)याण म(cid:287)ं ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the details of number of Cold Storages in the country, State-wise, particularly
in Maharashtra;
(b) the steps take to increase and to modernize the storage capacity for
foodgrains across the country;
(c) whether the Government has fixed any time-line in this regard and if so, the
details thereof;
(d) whether the Government is planning to set-up decentralized storage capacity
for farmers, if so, the details thereof, State-wise; including Maharashtra; and
(e) the details of the estimated funds for the proposed scheme and the time by
which it is likely to be set-up?
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): There are 8815 cold storages in the country with the capacity of 402.18 lakh MT
as on date as per the available information. The State/UT-wise details of Cold
Storages are at Annexure - I.
(b) & (c): Food Corporation of India (FCI) mainly stores wheat & rice after
procurement for PDS operation and to maintain buffer stock. As on 01.07.2025, total
Covered Storage Capacity available with FCI (owned-147.19 LMT+Hired-323.38
LMT) and State agencies for storage of Central Pool foodgrain stock is 821.36 Lakh
MT.Further, the requirement of Storage capacity in FCI depends upon the level of
procurement, requirement of buffer norms and PDS operations for Rice and Wheat
mainly. FCI continuously assesses and monitors the storage capacity and based on
the storage gap assessment, storage capacities are created/hired through following
schemes: -
1. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme
2. Central Sector Scheme (CSS) 2017-25
3. Construction of Silo's under PPP mode
4. Hiring of godown from CWCs/SWCs/State Agencies
5. Hiring of godown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS).
6. Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization
7. CAP Hiring Scheme -2025
8. Modified PEG scheme for NE & Hilly states with longer guarantee period of 15
years
(d) & (e): As per the information received from Ministry of Cooperation, Government
of India, the Government has approved the “World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in
Cooperative Sector” on 31.05.2023 and it has been rolled out as a Pilot Project in
the country including Maharashtra, for setting up decentralized food grain storage
capacity through creation of various agri infrastructure at Primary Agricultural Credit
Societies (PACS) level, including warehouses, custom hiring center, processing
units, Fair Price Shops, etc. by leveraging the ‘whole-of-Government’ approach. The
Plan is being implemented by utilizing the approved outlays of various Government
of India (GoI) schemes, viz. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), Agricultural
Marketing Infrastructure Scheme (AMI), Mission for Integrated Development of
Horticulture (MIDH), Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), Pradhan
Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme (PMFME) and
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) for creation/ modernization of
infrastructure facilities at PACS level.
The estimated cost of the project for each PACS would vary depending upon
various parameters such as storage capacity, requirement for custom hiring centre,
processing units, etc. Interest Subvention under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund
is being dovetailed with the subsidies available under the identified schemes for the
construction of godowns and other agri-infrastructure at PACS level.
Under this programme, one PACS Godown has been constructed at
Amrawati, Maharashtra by Neripanglai Vividh Karyakari Sahakari Sanstha.Annexure – I
State wise distribution of Cold Storages as on 30.06.2025 in the Country
S. No. Name of the State No. Capacity (MT)
1 Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT) 4 2210
2 Andhra Pradesh & Telangana 480 1996340
3 Arunachal Pradesh 2 6000
4 Assam 45 212662
5 Bihar 316 1490200
6 Chandigarh (UT) 7 12462
7 Chhattisgarh 132 586863
8 Delhi 97 129857
9 Goa 29 7705
10 Gujarat 1023 4042770
11 Haryana 387 886656
12 Himachal Pradesh 89 181318
13 Jammu & Kashmir 96 382564
14 Jharkhand 60 250077
15 Karnataka 271 930379
16 Kerala 202 96655
17 Lakshadweep (UT) 1 15
18 Madhya Pradesh 341 1498651
19 Maharashtra 672 1259932
20 Manipur 2 4500
21 Meghalaya 4 8200
22 Mizoram 3 4071
23 Nagaland 5 8150
24 Orissa 182 579321
25 Pondicherry (UT) 4 185
26 Punjab 780 2642715
27 Rajasthan 192 661876
28 Sikkim 2 2100
29 Tamil Nadu 188 399690
30 Telangana 117 627131
31 Tripura 14 46354
32 Uttar Pradesh 2489 15101408
33 Uttrakhand 62 206848
34 West Bengal 517 5952997
8815 40218862
(Source: Directorate of Marketing and Inspection (DMI) upto 2009, National
Horticulture Board (NHB), National Horticulture Mission (NHM), Horticulture Mission
for North East & Himalayan States (HMNEH)) and MoFPI
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