Post-harvest losses in agricultural produce being minimized : Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey

GG News Bureau
New Delhi,21st July . The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today informed that as per a study conducted by ICAR-CIPHET, Ludhiana on the extent of harvest and post- harvest losses of major agricultural produce in 2015, the estimated annual value of harvest and post-harvest losses of major agricultural produce at national level was Rs. 92,651 crore using production data of 2012-13 at 2014 wholesale prices. Similarly, the estimated loss for fruits was Rs. 16,644 crores and for vegetables was Rs.14,842 crores.
In order to minimize the post-harvest losses and enhance value addition in agricultural produce, Ministry of Food Processing Industries has been implementing the Scheme for Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure since 2008. The Scheme provides for promoting integrated cold chain facilities from the farm gate to the consumer, end to end, in order to reduce losses by improving efficiency in the collection of farm produce, its storage, transportation and minimal processing. Both horticultural and non-horticultural produce are eligible for support under this scheme.