**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha regarding post-harvest losses in India, answered on December 4th, 2025, by the Minister of State for Food Processing Industries. It presents estimates of post-harvest losses based on studies by ICAR-CIPHET (2015) and NABCONS (2022) and mentions various Government schemes for food processing. The document also states that the ministry has not conducted specific studies assessing the impact of climate crisis on post-harvest losses, or to quantify greenhouse gas emissions from post-harvest losses.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Estimated Post-Harvest Losses:**
* Based on ICAR-CIPHET (2015) and NABCONS (2022) studies.
* Includes estimated percentage losses for cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fruits, vegetables, plantation crops & spices, milk, inland fisheries, marine fisheries, meat, poultry, and eggs.
* Provides monetary loss estimates (in Rs. Crore) by NABCONS.
* **Monetary Losses (NABCONS study):**
* Total monetary losses due to post-harvest losses are estimated at Rs. 152790.42 Crore.
* Largest losses observed in cereals (Rs. 26000.79 Crore), fruits (Rs. 29545.07 Crore), and vegetables (Rs. 27459.08 Crore).
* Fisheries (Marine) have losses of Rs. 29871.41 Crore.
* **Government Initiatives:**
* Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) implements various schemes.
* Schemes include Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME), and Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI).
* Aims for overall development of the food processing sector.
* Provides financial assistance for infrastructure development and efficient supply chain management.
* **Studies not Conducted:**
* MoFPI has not conducted specific studies on the relation of climate crisis to post-harvest losses.
* MoFPI has not conducted specific studies to quantify greenhouse gas emissions associated with post-harvest losses.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Farmers**
* **Impact**: Affected by post-harvest losses, leading to reduced income and potential wastage of produce. They may benefit from initiatives aimed at reducing waste and improving returns.
* **Action Required**: Farmers can utilize available resources, infrastructure, and assistance provided through government schemes to minimize post-harvest losses, improve returns, and create employment opportunities.
**Stakeholder: Consumers**
* **Impact**: Affected by the availability and affordability of food products. Post-harvest losses contribute to reduced availability and potentially higher prices.
* **Action Required**: No specific action required, but consumers are beneficiaries of reduced wastage.
**Stakeholder: Government (Ministry of Food Processing Industries)**
* **Impact**: Responsible for addressing post-harvest losses and promoting development in the food processing sector.
* **Action Required**: Continue implementing and improving existing schemes like PMKSY, PMFME, and PLISFPI to reduce wastage, improve infrastructure, and enhance the food processing sector. The ministry may also consider conducting specific studies on the relation of climate crisis to post-harvest losses and on quantification of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with post-harvest losses.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI): The central ministry responsible for policies and schemes related to food processing in India, as indicated by the question.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY): A scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries aimed at creating modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management to reduce post-harvest losses and improve farmers' incomes.
Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI): Scheme by Ministry of Food Processing Industries for the overall development of the food processing sector
Prime Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME): A scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries aimed at creation of employment opportunities, reducing wastage, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of the processed foods.
ICAR-CIPHET study (2015): Study conducted by the Indian Council for Agricultural Research – Central Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology, related to estimated harvest and post-harvest losses.
GOVERNMENTOF INDIA
MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 839
ANSWERED ON 04TH DECEMBER, 2025
POST HARVEST LOSSES
839. SHRI CHAMALA KIRAN KUMAR REDDY:
SHRI EATALA RAJENDER:
Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that post harvest losses in the country are estimated to cost nearly
Rs. 1.5 trillion annually-amounting to about 3.7% of the agricultural GDP- and that fruits and
vegetables are the most vulnerable commodities, suffering losses to the extent of 10%-15%,
and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether it is also a fact that even staple crops such as paddy and wheat incur significant
post-harvest wastage, estimated at around 4.8% and 4.2% respectively, resulting in loss of
nutrition as well as wastage of water, energy and labour, and if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government is aware that, in the context of the worsening climate crisis
and India's large agricultural output, such percentage losses translate into millions of tonnes of
food being wasted annually, adversely impacting farmers' incomes, national food availability
and environmental sustainability, and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) whether food loss varies across crops, value chains and regions, and whether the
Government proposes to identify the regions with high post-harvest losses, quantify the
associated greenhouse gas emissions and undertake targeted interventions to address such
inefficiencies and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAVNEET SINGH)
(a) and (b): As per studies conducted by Indian Council for Agricultural Research – Central
Institute of Post-Harvest Engineering & Technology (ICAR-CIPHET), 2015 and NABARD
Consultancy Service Pvt. Ltd (NABCONS), 2022, the estimated percentage of Harvest and
Post-Harvest loss of various agricultural produce in India and category wise losses in monetary
terms are as follows:
Crops/ Commodities Estimated Percentage Loss
As per ICAR- As per NABCONS Monetary loss
CIPHET study study (2022) NABCONS (in Rs.
(2015) Crore)
Cereals 4.65 - 5.99 3.89-5.92 26000.79
Pulses 6.36 - 8.41 5.65-6.74 9289.21
Oil Seeds 3.08 - 9.96 2.87-7.51 10924.97
Fruits 6.70-15.88 6.02-15.05 29545.07
Vegetables 4.58-12.44 4.87-11.61 27459.08
Plantation Crops & 1.18-7.89 1.29-7.33 16412.56
SpicesMilk 0.92 0.87
Fisheries (Inland) 5.23 4.86
Fisheries (Marine) 10.52 8.76 29871.41
Meat 2.71 2.34
Poultry 6.74 5.63
Egg 7.19 6.03 3287.32
Total monetary losses 152790.42
(c): The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has not conducted any specific
study to assess the relation of climate crisis on post-harvest losses/ wastage of agricultural
produce in India.
(d): As per the study stated above, the post-harvest losses vary across crops, value chains
and regions. The study also helped to identify the regions with high post-harvest losses. The
Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has not conducted any specific study to
quantify the greenhouse gas emissions associated with post-harvest losses.
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) through implementation of various
initiatives and schemes viz. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY), Prime
Minister Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Production
Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industries (PLISFPI) aims for the overall
development of food processing sector. Under various components of the aforementioned
schemes, the MoFPI provides financial assistance for creation of modern infrastructure with
efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlets. The infrastructure created
and assistance provided aims at providing better returns to farmers, creation of employment
opportunities, reducing wastage, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of
the processed foods.
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