Parliament Question: Status of cold storage facilities in Assam

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2423 TO BE ANSWERED ON 13/03/2026 STATUS OF COLD STORAGE FACILITIES IN ASSAM 2423. MS. SUSHMITA DEV: Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that vegetable farmers in Assam are facing significant losses due to inadequate cold storage facilities and dependence on middlemen; (b) The number, location and operational status of cold storage units established in Assam by Government and private sector in the State; (c) Whether Government is aware of the large price gap between farm-gate rates and urban market prices for vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflowers, green peas and tomatoes; and (d) Whether Government has considered implementing alternative mechanisms, including mini cold storages, direct procurement or market linkages, to protect farmers from distress sales? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE (SHRI BHAGIRATH CHOUDHARY) (a): State Government of Assam has reported that during the Rabi season, the production of vegetables in Assam often exceed the market demand and farmers are often compelled to sell their produce immediately after harvest, which results in lower farm-gate prices. On the contrary, during the summer season, when demand exceeds local production, farmers generally receive premium prices for their produce. (b): As per the information received from the State Government of Assam, as on date 49 cold storages with a total capacity of 2.45 lakh MT have been established in Assam. The details are at Annexure-I. (c) & (d): Price variations between farm-gate prices and retail prices of vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflower, green peas and tomatoes may occur due to factors such as transportation, storage, handling costs and the involvement of intermediaries in the supply chain. The Government has taken several steps to protect farmers from distress sale and to improve marketing of perishable horticultural produce, which are as follows:i) To provide remunerative price to the farmers Government of India implement Market Intervention Scheme (MIS), a component under Pradhan Mantri Annadata Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), for procurement of agricultural and horticultural commodities, which are perishable in nature and are not covered under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The objective of intervention is to protect the growers of these commodities from making distress sale in the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival period when the prices tend to fall below economic levels. The scheme is implemented at the request of a State/UT Government, which is ready to bear 50 percent of the loss (25 percent in case of North-Eastern States), if any, incurred on its implementation. ii) Government has introduced a new component of Price Differential Payment (PDP) under Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) from 2024-25 season for direct payment of the price difference between the Market Intervention Price (MIP) and the selling price to the farmers of perishable crops. States/UTs have an option to choose either to do physical procurement of the crop or to make the differential payment between the MIP & Sale Price to the farmers. iii) In addition, from 2024-25 season, Government added another component under Market intervention scheme for reimbursing the Storage and Transportation cost of TOP crops (Tomato, Onion and Potato) to central nodal agencies & state designated agencies for transporting them from the producing state to consuming states in the interest of the farmers. iv) Further, under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), assistance is provided for creation of post-harvest infrastructure such as cold storages, pack houses, integrated pack houses, refrigerated transport, cold room (Staging) and solar powered cold room to strengthen supply chains, improve market linkages, reduce post-harvest losses and protect farmers from distress sales. This scheme is demand/entrepreneur driven through commercial ventures for which government assistance is in the form of credit linked back ended subsidy/grant-in-aid and is provided based on the proposals received from the States/entrepreneur. v) Further, to strengthen Agriculture Infrastructure in the country, Government has launched Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) of Rs 1.00 Lakh Crore. Under AIF there is a provision for collateral free term loan up-to Rs 2.00 Crores and interest subvention of @ 3 % on the term loan availed for creation of Post-Harvest Infrastructure including establishment of Cold Storages. Till date 12 Cold Stores under AIF Scheme have been sanctioned for the state of Assam for a sum of Rs 33.46 Crores.Annexure-I Annexure-I referred in reply to part (b) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 2423 for Answer on 13.03.2026 regarding “Status of cold storage facilities in Assam” The Details of Cold Storages in the State of Assam as on date Sl. No. Name & Loaction Capacity of Storage (MT) 1 Mushalpur Cold Storage at Baska 5000 2 Himalaya Cold Storage at Vill. : Damaka, P.O. : Sarbhog, Barpeta 10000 3 M/s. Sorbhog Cold Storage at Barpeta 2500 4 M/S. Key Dee Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. at Silchar 5000 5 Maa Tara Cold Storage, at Silchar, Cachar 5600 6 Maa Tara Cold Storage at Nahata Bld., Dewan Ji Bazar, Silchar, Cachar 5600 7 M/s. Lalit Cold Storage (P) Ltd. at Meherpur, Silchar -788015 5000 8 M/s. Chirang Logistics Co. (P) Ltd at P.O. : Kajalgaon, Chirang 7500 9 M/s Kharupetia at Darrang 5000 10 M/s Chilapathar at Dhemaji 2000 11 M/s Krishna Cold Storage at Goalpara 6165 12 M/s. North East Cold Storage at Bapuji Nagar, Badalimari, Goalpara 4420 13 M/s. Balaji Cold Storage at Ikaranigaon, Dergaon, Golaghat 3600 14 M/s. Dey Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. at Hailakandi 5000 15 M/s. Dey’s Cold Storage, Unit-II at Silchar Road, Hailakandi 5100 16 M/s Shree Niwas Cold Storage at Vill. Buragaon, Kaki, Hojai 9964 17 M/s Hanuman Spices & Herbs Pvt Ltd, at Jorhat 5000 18 M/s Singimari at Kamrup 2000 19 M/s Chhaygaon at Kamrup 5000 20 M/S Reliable Cold Storage, Pvt. Ltd. at Changsari, Kamrup, Guwahati 5000 21 M/s Kamrup Cold Storgage at Kamrup 12222 22 M/s Kamrupa Thanda Ghar at Vill. : Soarpara, Mouza : Chayani of Palasbari, 5000 Mirza, Kamrup, Guwahati 23 M/s. Krishna Cold Storage (Unit of M/s. Jai Kamakhya & Associates), at 6500 Mouza : Silasinduri Ghopa, Old IIT Road, Vill. : Gauripur, Kamrup, North Guwahati 24 M/s Shubham Himghar at Vill. : Peneri, P.O. : Chayygaon, ASIDC Food 4150 Park, Kamrup 25 M/s Sri Shyam Cold Storage at Palashbari Road, Vill. : Saopara, Kamrup 11800 26 M/s Eden Cold Storage at Khanapara, Kamrup (M), Guwahati 2400 27 M/s N. E. Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd, Lokhora, Kamrup (M) Guwahati 5000 28 M/s Horizon Progressive Agro Pvt. Ltd., Patgaon, Azara, Kamrup (M) 150029 M/s Krishna Associates, 6th Mile, Narengi Road, Panjabari, Kamrup (M), 2520 Guwahati 30 M/s Dharampal Satyapal Ltd, Vill. : Mirzapur, Ramcharani, Azara, Kamrup 8141 (M), Guwahati 31 M/s Karimganj (Dey’s Cold Storage) at Karimganj 2000 32 M/s Sutarkandi at Karimganj 2000 33 M/s Barak Cold Storage, Badarpurghat, Karimganj 5000 34 M/s Raha at Nagaon 2000 35 M/s Assam Valley Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd., Jogijan Road, Hojai, Nagaon 5400 36 M/s Rajasree Cold Storage, Nagaon 4817 37 M/s Hojai Cold Storage at Nagaon 5000 38 M/s Hojai Cold Storage at Nagaon 5371 39 M/s Indra Prasthad Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. at Tezpur, Sonitpur 4000 40 M/s Soniti Prava Cold Storage at Bihali, Sonitpur 5300 41 M/s Gingia Cold Storage at Gingia, Sonitpur 2500 42 M/S. Mahabir Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. Unit-I at Tinsukia 7000 43 M/S Mahabir Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. Unit-II at Tinsukia 5000 44 M/s Karnitara Cold Storage Pvt. Ltd. Makum Road at Tinsukia 5000 45 M/s Geen Field Cold Storage at Panitola, Tinsukia 5285 46 M/s Riddhi Siddhi Freezing & Storage at Vill. : Patia Pathar, Tinsukia 5200 47 M/s Routa Cold Storage at Udalguri 5000 48 M/S F.M. Food Processing and Agro based Industries, Gosaisatra, Golagaht 5000 49 M/s Mirigaon Cold Storage, No. 1 Mirigaon, Karunabaru Dev. Block, 1000 Lakhimpur Total 245555 *****