Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union minister for food processing industries, has informed that 30 new cold chain projects have been approved and sanctioned by her ministry. She made this announcement recently while addressing a press conference, which was held here to highlight the ministry of food processing industries’ achievements in the past one year, since the NDA government took over.
She added that the cold chain infrastructure was to link the farmer to the consumer seamlessly and create a cold chain grid in the country.
The minister emphasised that sanction had been accorded to 30 new cold chain proposals for implementation. Total expected grant-in-aid to be released to these 30 projects was Rs 274.9 crore, which would attract an investment of Rs 470 crore. Total cold chain infrastructure capacity to be created by these is (a) 1.12 lakh MT of cold storage/CA/MA store (b) 11.10 lakh litre per day of milk processing (c) 28.5 MT/Hour of IQF (d) 1434 MT/day of ripening chamber and (e) 209 reefer vehicles.
The ministry has identified creating modern infrastructure for food processing as a focus area and encouraging private investment. Thereof, sanctioning of 17 new Mega Food Parks and 30 cold chain projects will attract total investment of about Rs 3,077 crore in the creation of infrastructure in food processing sector.
Badal stated that to address challenges such as insufficient infrastructure leading to huge wastage, undue advantage to middlemen at the cost of farmers’ remuneration, the government’s focus is on compressing supply chains and making them consistent, quicker and efficient for supply of farm produce for food processing.
Badal informed that the scheme of cold chain, value addition and preservation infrastructure provided financial assistance of up to Rs 10 crore for entrepreneurs. “A total of 138 integrated cold chain projects were approved by the government, out of which 108 projects were under implementation by the ministry. Of these, 52 projects have already achieved completion and commenced commercial operation. The capacity created by these 52 projects is 2.16 lakh MT of cold storage/CA/deep freezer, 80.3 lakh litre per day of milk processing, 38.5 MT/hour of individual quick freeze and 271 of reefer transport. It is expected that operationalisation of 108 projects would create capacity of (a) 3.64 lakh MT of cold storage, Controlled Atmosphere (CA)/Modified Atmosphere (MA) storage, deep freezer (b) 90 MT per hour of individual Quick Freezing (IQF) (c) 106.95 lakh litre per day of milk processing and storage and (d) 601 number of reefer carriers.”
Badal stated that to boost the creation of infrastructure for food processing, the ministry, in the last one year, inaugurated two Mega Food Parks - one in Karnataka and another in Fazilka in Punjab. Three more Mega Food Parks are to be inaugurated shortly in West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Assam. Government has announced 17 new Mega Food Parks in the last one year. It has also completed 14 cold chain projects and 30 new cold chain projects are being announced.
The minister informed that government has set up a fund of Rs 2,000 crore under NABARD for extending affordable credit to entrepreneurs for designated food parks and for setting up of food processing units in the designated food parks. The government has classified loans to food and agro-based processing units and cold chains under agriculture activities for Priority Sector Lending (PSL). The ministry is working with the industry for imparting industry-relevant skill training including development of course content in identified sectors of food processing. The investor-friendly Investor’s Portal has all the required information available online.
Badal expressed confidence that these steps of the government will create modern infrastructure for arresting post-harvest losses of horti- and non-horti produces and provide impetus to the growth of this sector. The timely completion of these Integrated Cold Chain and Mega Food Park projects will not only provide a big boost to the growth of food processing infrastructure in the concerned states but also help in providing better prices to farmers, reduce wastage of perishables, add value to the agricultural produce and create huge employment opportunities especially in rural areas. These will lead to the stabilisation of food products’ prices and contain inflation in the country.
