Parliament Question: Promotion of Processing of Perishable Vegetables and Fruits

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 83 ANSWERED ON 29TH JANUARY, 2026 PROMOTION OF PROCESSING OF PERISHABLE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS 83. SHRI ATUL GARG: Will the Minister of FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES be pleased to state: (a) the details of the schemes implemented to promote the processing of perishable vegetables and fruits grown in the peri-urban areas of Ghaziabad for the NCR market; (b) the status of the cold chain infrastructure available in the Sahibabad and Loni areas to prevent post-harvest losses; (c) the measures taken by the Government to encourage the setting up of micro-processing units for tomato, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables in the said district; (d) the details of the assistance provided to the Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) of Western Uttar Pradesh for value addition and branding; and (e) whether the Government proposes to set up a dedicated vegetable processing cluster near the Ghazipur/Sahibabad mandis and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES (SHRI RAVNEET SINGH) (a) & (b): Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been implementing a central sector umbrella scheme called “Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY)” since 2017-18 across the country. Under Operation Greens component of PMKSY scheme, the Ministry is providing financial assistance at the rate of 35% of the eligible project cost for projects in General Areas, and 50% for projects in Difficult Areas, as well as for projects involving SC/ST, FPOs (Farmer Producer Organizations), and SHGs (Self-Help Groups) for value chain development of 10 fruit crops, 11 vegetable crops and shrimp in the identified production clusters. The production clusters for these crops are identified based on the horticultural production data provided by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in consultation with the Horticulture Departments of the respective states. Uttar Pradesh has been identified as production cluster for mango, banana, amla, guava, potato, beans, gourds, carrot, cauliflower, okra, green peas & garlic. Under the scheme Ministry has assisted 3 projects for potato processing in the State of Uttar Pradesh. Ghaziabad has not been identified as production cluster for any fruit or vegetable crop under the Operation Greens scheme. In this regard it may also be mentioned that Ministry of Food Processing Industries does not set up any food processing industry on its own, but to encourage the growth of the food processing sector, the Ministry is implementing various schemes for development of foodprocessing infrastructure and setting up of food processing units through various component schemes of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY). The proposals under the schemes are invited through Expression of Interest (EOI). Proposals are scrutinised as per the provisions of scheme guidelines and eligible applications sanctioned for financial assistance. So far, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries has not sanctioned any cold chain infrastructure project in Sahibabad and Loni area of Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh under Cold Chain or Operation Greens scheme of PMKSY. (c): Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) is implementing a Centrally Sponsored- "Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme" for providing financial, technical and business support for upgradation of micro food processing enterprises across the country including Uttar Pradesh. The details of financial assistance available for micro food processing enterprises including Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) under the Scheme for all the products including tomato, cauliflower and green leafy vegetables are at Annexure. (d): Under Credit Linked Subsidy component of PMFME scheme, loans for 4 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have been sanctioned till 31st December 2025 in Western Uttar Pradesh. Further, under the Branding & Marketing component of the PMFME scheme, support is primarily targeted at groups of FPOs, SHGs, cooperatives, or Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) of micro food processing enterprises, with a grant of up to 50% of the eligible project cost. However, no proposal for Branding & Marketing has been received from the State of Uttar Pardesh. (e): No such proposal under consideration by the Ministry. *****ANNEXURE ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN PART (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 83 ANSWERED ON 29.01.2026 REGARDING ‘PROMOTION OF PROCESSING OF PERISHABLE VEGETABLES AND FRUITS’ The details of financial assistance offered to the enterprises under Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme are as under: (i) Support to Individual / Group Category Micro Enterprises: Credit-linked capital subsidy @35% of the eligible project cost, maximum ceiling Rs.10 lakh per unit; (ii) Support to SHGs for seed capital: Seed capital @ Rs. 40,000/- per member of SHG engaged in food processing for working capital and purchase of small tools subject to maximum of Rs. 4 lakh per SHG Federation. (iii) Support for Common Infrastructure: Credit linked capital subsidy @35% of the eligible project cost subject to maximum of Rs. 3 crore to support FPOs, SHGs, Cooperatives and any Government agency for setting up of common infrastructure. The common infrastructure will also be available for other units and public to utilize on hiring basis for substantial part of the capacity. (iv) Branding and Marketing Support: Grant upto 50% for Branding and Marketing to groups of FPOs/ SHGs/ Cooperatives or an SPV of micro food processing enterprises. (v) Capacity Building: The scheme envisages training for Entrepreneurship Development Skilling (EDP) program modified to meet the requirement of food processing industry. *****