Reduce Post-Harvest Losses to 5% by 2047

New Delhi, Sep 18 (PTI) The government plans to reduce post-harvest losses in horticulture to below 5 per cent by 2047 from the current 15 per cent, a senior agriculture ministry official said on Thursday.

Speaking at the inauguration of REFCOLD India 2025 in the national capital, Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary for Horticulture in the Ministry of Agriculture, said the world's second-largest horticulture producer currently loses nearly 15 million tonnes of produce annually from a total output of 365 million tonnes.

"Post-harvest losses of up to 15 per cent translate to nearly 15 million tonnes of wasted produce -- a loss not just to farmers and consumers, but also to our nutritional security and economy," Ranjan said at the three-day event.

The government is revising engineering guidelines after consultations with over 100 stakeholders, digitising cold chain infrastructure for nationwide access, and conducting an All-India Cold Chain Survey to address the losses, according to a statement.

"The goal is to reduce losses to below 5 per cent by 2047, directly contributing to higher farmer incomes and a stronger food system," he noted.

Sudhanshu, Secretary of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Promotion Authority (APEDA), said that strengthening India's cold chain infrastructure was essential for the agrarian economy to reduce post-harvest losses that drain farmer incomes and undermine food security.

"India's cold chain is not a choice; it is a necessity for securing farmer incomes and expanding our global footprint," he said.

APEDA has been assisting in creating packhouses, cold storages, and facilities at airports and seaports to bridge the gap from farm to foreign markets, Sudhanshu added.

Vivek Kumar Singh, Director in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, outlined three flagship schemes aimed at building a resilient food processing ecosystem, including the Production Linked Incentive scheme to create global champions and support for micro food processing enterprises.

Industry executives said India's cold chain sector faces an opportunity as the global refrigerated transport market is projected to reach USD 216 billion by 2030.

The country currently has 32-35 million tonnes of cold storage capacity but lacks adequate pack-houses, ripening chambers, and refrigerated vehicles.

The global commercial refrigeration equipment market is expected to touch USD 161 billion by 2034, driven by demand from food, pharmaceuticals, and retail sectors, according to Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director of Informa Markets in India, which organises the exhibition.

The event features globally renowned brands, including Copeland, Daikin, Danfoss, Carrier Transicold, Rinac, and Luve, attracting professionals from pharmaceuticals, seafood, dairy, meat, agriculture, hospitality, logistics, food processing, healthcare, retail, and bakery sectors.