Enhancing Post-Harvest Infrastructure: Cold Storages, Food Processing, and Reducing Crop Losses

India produces a lot of fruits, vegetables, grains and other food crops. But a large part of this food gets wasted after harvest because of poor storage and handling. This causes big losses for farmers and reduces the food available for everyone. Improving post-harvest infrastructure like cold storages and food processing units can help keep food fresh longer and reduce waste. This is important for increasing farmers’ incomes and making sure India has enough food.

What Are Post-Harvest Losses?

After farmers harvest their crops, the food needs to be stored, transported and sold. But many fruits, vegetables and dairy products spoil quickly if not kept in the right conditions. Poor storage facilities, especially lack of cold storages and long delays in the supply chain lead to spoilage. Experts estimate that up to 30% of the food can be lost between the farm and market in India. This means less food for people and less money for farmers.

The Role of Cold Storages

Cold storages, specialized warehouses maintaining cool temperatures, preserve perishables like vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and fish, enabling farmers to store produce longer and sell at optimal prices rather than rushing post-harvest. Government initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), led by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, have approved 395 integrated cold chain projects nationwide as of June 2025 (291 operational), creating 25.52 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) preservation and 114.66 LMT processing capacity while generating 174,600 jobs; an additional ₹1,920 crore was approved in July 2025, raising total outlay to ₹6,520 crore through March 2026, including ₹500 crore for 50 multi-product food irradiation units. Grants cover 35-75% of costs (up to ₹10 crore per project), prioritizing farmgate proximity to minimize spoilage, with Maharashtra leading (77 projects, 58 completed), followed by Andhra Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Complementary schemes like Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with ₹73,000 crore for 1.27 lakh projects and Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) for 50,000 warehouses further expand capacity beyond 39.6 million MT across 8,689 facilities, reducing post-harvest losses of 20-30%.

Importance of Food Processing

Food processing means changing fresh crops into products that last longer, like jams, juices, frozen foods and pickles. This adds value to the crops and helps farmers earn more. Food processing also reduces waste by preserving crops that might spoil quickly otherwise. Government schemes have helped many small food processing businesses grow, especially in rural areas. These businesses provide jobs and help farmers by buying their produce for processing.

How Can Farmers Reduce Losses?

Farmers can also do many simple things to reduce losses:

• Harvest at the right time when crops are mature but not overripe
• Handle crops gently to avoid bruising or damage
• Use proper packaging to protect food during transport
• Use mechanical harvesters and dryers to speed up harvesting and reduce spoilage
• Get training on best practices for storing and transporting crops

Custom hiring centers allow farmers to rent good harvesting machines at low cost. Also, modern transport like refrigerated trucks and special trains help move fresh food quickly to markets without loss.

Future Direction

India needs to keep investing in cold storage infrastructure and food processing to build a strong supply chain. This will make farming more profitable and food more available to consumers. Farmers should get better training and access to modern machines. Private companies should also partner with the government to build more cold storages and processing units. Using digital tools for better market information and supply chain tracking can also help reduce waste.

Conclusion

Reducing food loss after harvest is very important for India’s food security and farmers’ livelihoods. Better cold storages, increased food processing and smart farming practices can keep food fresh longer, reduce waste and increase farmers’ earnings. Together, these improvements can make India’s food system stronger and more sustainable for the future.