India’s supply chain management for storing food products and pharmaceutical products is highly inefficient and about 20% of all food products is wasted every year, according to Sandip Somany, president, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
He added, “India is the second largest producer of fruits, vegetables and milk, 5th in eggs and 6th in fish in the world.” He was speaking at the National Conference on Cold Chain Management organised by PHDCCI in collaboration with ministry of food processing industries, Government of India.
R S Bedi, chairman, Task Force on Logistics Management, PHDCCI; Girish Aivalli, GEVP & country head, food & agribusiness strategic advisory & research, Yes Bank; Dr Saumitra Chaudhuri, member, Planning Commission, Government of India; Sanjeev Chopra, joint secretary, ministry of agriculture, Government of India, and MD, National Horticulture Board; and Dinesh Rai, chairman, WDRA; were also present at the conference.
Bedi said that there was a need for drastic change in the food & pharmaceutical industries. “Globally, we’re the major producers of fruits, vegetables, pulses and grains but due to poor cold chain management, we waste all our produces in huge amounts,” he said.
A report on Cold Chain Management of India was prepared by Yes Bank and launched by Chaudhuri. He stated, “Cold chain infrastructure of this country is significantly lacking behind. The investment in the food sector has been very weak. This kind of conference organised by PHD Chamber will help in increasing the awareness and confidence in public.”
According to the report, the government initiatives for cold chain management are FDI, National Mission on Food Processing, and National Centre for Cold Chain Development. India is the 5th largest retail market with food and grocery accounting for a share of approximately 62% of total market size.
The challenges faced by the industry are high operating expenditure, lack of adequate logistics support, uneven distribution of cold storage facility, lack of investments, capital- intensive infrastructure, and lack of trained manpower and financial viability of cold chain products.
