Parliament Question: Solar Powered Cold Storage Facilities

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 242 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21ST JULY, 2026 SOLAR POWERED COLD STORAGE FACILITIES 242. THIRU D M KATHIR ANAND: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी be pleased to state: (a) the initiatives implemented/proposed by the Government for promoting solar- powered cold storage, pack-house and cold-chain infrastructure for farmers cultivating vegetables, fruits, flowers and other perishable commodities in Vellore district of Tamil Nadu, where post-harvest losses and distress sales affect farm incomes; (b) the number, storage capacity and operational status of solar-powered cold- storage facilities sanctioned and established in Vellore district and Tamil Nadu under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture, Agriculture Infrastructure Fund and other Central schemes; (c) the steps taken to encourage Farmer Producer Organisations, cooperatives and agri-startups to adopt decentralised solar-powered cold-storage solutions; (d) the funds allocated, released and utilised during 2020-21 to 2025-26, year- wise; and (e) the details of the reduction in post-harvest losses, increase in shelf life of produce and enhancement in farmers' incomes achieved through these interventions? ANSWER 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): The Government of India implements the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) for the holistic development of the horticulture sector, including the creation of post-harvest management and cold-chain infrastructure across the country, including Tamil Nadu. Under the scheme, famers/entrepreneur are allowed to use solar powered cold storage, pack house and cold chain infrastructure under MIDH thereby allowing farmers to store their vegetables and fruits at farm gate in controlled temperature before sending it to market and thus protecting them from distress sales. Further under the scheme, to strengthen the cold chain infra at primary side of the Cold chain which is managed by farmers and FPOs, Integrated Pack house (IPH) and Collection Aggregation centres (CAC) have been introduced as components which allows farmers, growers and FPOs to grade, store in small micro solar based cold storages and transport their fresh produce to market without getting in distress. These components also allow small 2 MT vehicles which allows farmers to collect and send their produce as per the market demand and thereby disallowing distress sales.Under AIF, there is provision for collateral free term loan upto Rs. 2.00 crore and interest subvention of 3% on the term loan availed for creation of post-harvest infrastructure including establishment of cold storages. (b): Under MIDH scheme, 10 numbers (9 under NHB and 1 under NHM) of cold storage with a total capacity of 0.68 lakh MT and under AIF scheme, 99 cold storage/cold chain projects have been sanctioned in Tamil Nadu. However, no proposal for establishment of solar based cold storage has been received from the State of Tamil Nadu. (c): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare continuously encourages Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), cooperatives, Self Help Groups (SHGs), entrepreneurs and agri-startups to establish decentralized post-harvest infrastructure by providing financial assistance under MIDH. Assistance is also available for integrated post-harvest management infrastructure to improve storage, aggregation, value addition and marketing of horticulture produce. Capacity building, convergence with institutional credit and project-based support further facilitate adoption of such technologies. (d): Under MIDH, funds are released to the States for undertaking various horticulture-related activities, including the creation of post-harvest management infrastructure, as per the approved Annual Action Plan (AAP) of the concerned State. The year-wise details of funds allocated, released and utilised by the Government of Tamil Nadu during 2020-21 to 2025-26 are as under: (Rs. in crore) Year Allocation Released Expenditure 2020-21 115.00 114.73 117.39 2021-22 103.50 75.00 60.93 2022-23 102.50 102.40 103.73 2023-24 120.00 120.00 101.92 2024-25 80.00 80.00 58.41 2025-26 82.00 82.00 81.22 (e): Creation of post-harvest infrastructure under MIDH has contributed to improved scientific storage, reduction in post-harvest losses, extension of shelf life and better market access for horticulture produce. The benefits vary depending upon the crop, scale of operation, utilization of the infrastructure and local market conditions. Further, as per the studies carried out by CIPHET (2015) and NABCONS (2022) the reduction of post harvest management losses are as under: Commodity As per ICAR-CIPHET As per NABCONS Study Study 2015 (in %) 2022 (in %) Fruits 6.70 - 15.88 6.02 - 15.05 Vegetables 4.58 - 12.44 4.87 - 11.61 *****