POST-HARVEST LOSSES
POST-HARVEST LOSSES
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) had commissioned a study through NABARD Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd. (NABCONS), namely, “Study to determine Post harvest losses of Agri Produce in India” in 2022 with reference year 2020-22. The details of estimated loss of perishable food during transportation reported in the study are as under:
Category
Estimated Loss (%)
At Farm level
At Market level
Fruits
0.27-1.41
0.50-1.30
Vegetables
0.11-0.85
0.12-1.57
Milk
0.21
0.12
Egg
0.30
0.39
Meat
–
0.02
Poultry meat
–
0.02
Inland fish
0.14
0.14
Marine fish
0.42
0.52
MoFPI implements Central Sector Umbrella Scheme-Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) since 2016-17 to create post-harvest infrastructure and processing facilities to boost the overall development of the food processing sector including reduction in post-harvest losses, enhancing value addition etc. The component schemes under PMKSY are (i) Mega Food Parks (the component has been discontinued with effect from 01.04.2021 with provision for committed liabilities only) (ii) Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure, (iii) Infrastructure for Agro-processing Clusters, (iv) Creation of Backward and Forward Linkages (The component has been discontinued from 1st April 2021) (v) Creation / Expansion of Food Processing & Preservation Capacities and (vi) Operation Greens. MoFPI provides credit linked financial assistance (capital subsidy) in the form of grants-in-aid to entrepreneurs for setting up of food processing/preservation infrastructure which, interalia, includes cold storages to minimize post-harvest losses. As on 31st October, 2024, 1187 projects have been approved under PMKSY.
Apart from MoFPI, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has also launched the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) Scheme in July 2020 under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package in order to improve post-harvest infrastructure and create community farming assets. The AIF Scheme facilitates sanction of medium to long term loans by Banks and other lending institutions for the setting up of cold storage facilities, warehouses and processing units, aimed at reducing crop wastage and enhancing value addition.
(b). As per the above said study conducted by NABCONS in 2022 with reference year 2020-22, the estimated monetary post-harvest loss for various commodities are as below:
Category
Estimated monetary loss
(Rs. in crore)
Cereals
26000.79
Pulses
9289.21
Oilseeds
10924.97
Fruits
29545.07
Vegetables
27459.08
Plantation crops
16412.56
Livestock produce
29871.41
Eggs
3287.32
Crop-specific data for cereals, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and vegetables are at Annexure.The information was given by the union minister of state food processing industries shri Ravneet Singh Bittu in a written reply today in Loksabha
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ANNEXURE
Commodities
Crops
Estimated Post-harvest monetary loss
(Rs. in Crore)
Cereals, Pulses and Oilseeds
Paddy
12296.67
Wheat
9883.45
Maize
2256.16
Bajra
864.37
Sorghum
700.14
Pigeon Pea
2067.07
Chick pea
4985.45
Black gram
866.50
Green gram
1370.19
Mustard
2541.38
Cottonseed
289.29
Soybean
4736.14
Safflower
4.61
Sunflower
46.99
Groundnut
3306.56
Fruits & Vegetables
Apple
1941.53
Banana
5777.01
Citrus
4347.13
Grapes
1562.08
Guava
2217.05
Mango
10581.92
Papaya
786.10
Sapota
263.13
Pineapple
303.74
Pomegranate
1533.08
Muskmelon
232.30
Cabbage
1230.05
Cauliflower
1696.87
Green Pea
2288.30
Mushroom
221.90
Onion
5156.32
Potato
5733.84
Tomato
5921.15
Tapioca
642.50
Bottlegourd
338.67
Brinjal
1989.50
Beans
758.95
Radish
252.13
Capsicum
105.13
Okra
1123.77