Zero tolerance for waste, cold storage grid & food map need of the hour: Harsimrat Kaur
Updated: Oct 16, 2014 01:26:05pm
New Delhi, Oct 16 (KNN) Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, Harsimrat Kaur Badal has said that India needs zero tolerance for waste; while cold storage grid and food map are the need of the hour.
Inaugurating the 5th National Cold Chain Summit 2014 here yesterday, Badal said, “There should be zero tolerance towards waste. Currently, there is Rs 44,000 crore worth of wastage and unless we work towards removing that, our growth story cannot be completed.”
The cold chain capacity of the country is 30 million metric tonne, whereas it produces around 200 million metric tonne of products,” she added, according to a press release.
The summit was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) jointly with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) in the capital under the theme: Enabling Innovations, Integration and Investments across the Food Value Chain.
Pointing to the fact that in the next 15 years consumption levels are going to treble, the Minister said, “Cold chain plays an integral part in the development of our nation. In spite of all the challenges that we have faced, we are the second largest producer of fruit and cereal, third in marine production and have the largest livestock in the world. But in spite of growth in these sectors, the disparity in the growth in the food processing sector is amazing.”
Citing examples of smaller nations like Malaysia, Phillipine and Thailand, Badal said, “In these smaller nations, food processing is 80-90 per cent compared to India where it’s a mere 10 per cent. Our challenge lies in managing the perishables. Figures show that thousands of crores is lost due to wastage. That’s the tip of the iceberg; in reality, the figures are much higher. What we need is a cold chain grid in the country.
“The ministry is working towards a national food processing policy to bring under one umbrella different stakeholders presently engaged in the development of the food processing sector. Unless we bring down waste, we cannot control inflation,” she added.
The Minister also stressed the need to have a food map in the country. “An investor must have a food map so that he knows where, what and how to procure and the demand for his purchase. Most of the cold chain capacity today is concentrated on three to four states. And out of the entire cold storage capacity, 70 per cent is just for potato. What we need is a scientific approach towards building multi-product cold storage.”
Talking about the challenges the industry faces, Badal said, “The biggest challenge the industry faces is power, without which the cold chain cannot be successful. States need to invest in renewable energy and provide solar energy at subsidized rates.”
The change in the size of the cold storage industry is the consequence of rapid changes in consumption patterns of the new and aware consumer and this rise is fuelled by the modern trade, along with the growing food, dairy and pharmaceutical industries in India.
But, India’s greatest need is for an effective and economically viable cold chain solution that will totally integrate the supply chain for all commodities from the production centres to the consumption centres, thereby reducing physical waste and loss of value of perishable commodities.
At the event, Badal released a report, ‘Study of Post Harvest Value Chain Management and Plan for Future Development: A CII study of Pomegranate in Karnataka.’
The study was intended to find out the gap available in agricultural marketing and distribution for the produce to take suitable action by the state Government, in make cold chain development movement a reality in the state.
Also speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Siraj Hussain said, “In addition to losses in the food chain, there is a need to reduce losses at consumer level. There is a substantial information gap when it comes to cold storage. We need more studies to assess the exact amount of requirement in the sector.”
Laying thrust on online sale of fruits and vegetables, Hussain said, “Online retail stores can be a huge fillip for the cold storage industry. It can not only improve the supply chain but also delivery.”
On the other hand, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advisor, National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) Pawanexh Kohli, mooted on consistent supply of goods across the country, stressing on the fact that productivity should be gainful productivity.
Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Sanjeev Chopra stated the need to innovate and create awareness and integrate different skill sets and competency. “Innovation and integration is required to have a business model. The country needs to be connected with the flow of good; it’s only with regular sustained supply of goods that the government can reduce price fluctuations,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Task Force on Cold Chain Development and Executive Director and President, Blue Star Limited, B Thiagarajan said, “The food processing ministry and agriculture ministry with whom CII has shared a relation over the years have seen a lot of successes and setbacks and each time we have come out with innovations and reinvent ourselves to take this journey forward. Currently we are focused on how to link the Clean India Campaign to the development of cold chain. One example can be of recycling the bio waste in cities for the greater good of this movement.”
The discussions and deliberations at the Summit which saw the participation of over 150 delegates from various government organisations aimed at enabling innovations, integration and investments across the food value chain and outreach to create sustainability of the sector. (KNN/ES)
Inaugurating the 5th National Cold Chain Summit 2014 here yesterday, Badal said, “There should be zero tolerance towards waste. Currently, there is Rs 44,000 crore worth of wastage and unless we work towards removing that, our growth story cannot be completed.”
The cold chain capacity of the country is 30 million metric tonne, whereas it produces around 200 million metric tonne of products,” she added, according to a press release.
The summit was organized by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) jointly with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) in the capital under the theme: Enabling Innovations, Integration and Investments across the Food Value Chain.
Pointing to the fact that in the next 15 years consumption levels are going to treble, the Minister said, “Cold chain plays an integral part in the development of our nation. In spite of all the challenges that we have faced, we are the second largest producer of fruit and cereal, third in marine production and have the largest livestock in the world. But in spite of growth in these sectors, the disparity in the growth in the food processing sector is amazing.”
Citing examples of smaller nations like Malaysia, Phillipine and Thailand, Badal said, “In these smaller nations, food processing is 80-90 per cent compared to India where it’s a mere 10 per cent. Our challenge lies in managing the perishables. Figures show that thousands of crores is lost due to wastage. That’s the tip of the iceberg; in reality, the figures are much higher. What we need is a cold chain grid in the country.
“The ministry is working towards a national food processing policy to bring under one umbrella different stakeholders presently engaged in the development of the food processing sector. Unless we bring down waste, we cannot control inflation,” she added.
The Minister also stressed the need to have a food map in the country. “An investor must have a food map so that he knows where, what and how to procure and the demand for his purchase. Most of the cold chain capacity today is concentrated on three to four states. And out of the entire cold storage capacity, 70 per cent is just for potato. What we need is a scientific approach towards building multi-product cold storage.”
Talking about the challenges the industry faces, Badal said, “The biggest challenge the industry faces is power, without which the cold chain cannot be successful. States need to invest in renewable energy and provide solar energy at subsidized rates.”
The change in the size of the cold storage industry is the consequence of rapid changes in consumption patterns of the new and aware consumer and this rise is fuelled by the modern trade, along with the growing food, dairy and pharmaceutical industries in India.
But, India’s greatest need is for an effective and economically viable cold chain solution that will totally integrate the supply chain for all commodities from the production centres to the consumption centres, thereby reducing physical waste and loss of value of perishable commodities.
At the event, Badal released a report, ‘Study of Post Harvest Value Chain Management and Plan for Future Development: A CII study of Pomegranate in Karnataka.’
The study was intended to find out the gap available in agricultural marketing and distribution for the produce to take suitable action by the state Government, in make cold chain development movement a reality in the state.
Also speaking on the occasion, Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Siraj Hussain said, “In addition to losses in the food chain, there is a need to reduce losses at consumer level. There is a substantial information gap when it comes to cold storage. We need more studies to assess the exact amount of requirement in the sector.”
Laying thrust on online sale of fruits and vegetables, Hussain said, “Online retail stores can be a huge fillip for the cold storage industry. It can not only improve the supply chain but also delivery.”
On the other hand, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Advisor, National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD) Pawanexh Kohli, mooted on consistent supply of goods across the country, stressing on the fact that productivity should be gainful productivity.
Speaking on the occasion, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Sanjeev Chopra stated the need to innovate and create awareness and integrate different skill sets and competency. “Innovation and integration is required to have a business model. The country needs to be connected with the flow of good; it’s only with regular sustained supply of goods that the government can reduce price fluctuations,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Task Force on Cold Chain Development and Executive Director and President, Blue Star Limited, B Thiagarajan said, “The food processing ministry and agriculture ministry with whom CII has shared a relation over the years have seen a lot of successes and setbacks and each time we have come out with innovations and reinvent ourselves to take this journey forward. Currently we are focused on how to link the Clean India Campaign to the development of cold chain. One example can be of recycling the bio waste in cities for the greater good of this movement.”
The discussions and deliberations at the Summit which saw the participation of over 150 delegates from various government organisations aimed at enabling innovations, integration and investments across the food value chain and outreach to create sustainability of the sector. (KNN/ES)
Loading...
