food for Thought

P revention of Food Wastage through Effective Cold Chain

Refrigerated foods are becoming one of the • accounts for about 15% of the world's
fastest growing sectors of the Indian Food & production of vegetables
Grocery vertical. Its growth and success
• Largest producer of fruits in the world
depends upon the efficiency of the 'cold
chain', a term used to describe the series of • accounts for about 8% of the world's
interdependent operations in the production, production of fruits
distribution, storage and retailing of chilled Yet in the absence of a proper distribution and
and frozen foods. The cold chain extends from Cold Chain network, there is huge wastage of
the raw material supplier (e.g. on-farm food. In a recent report FICCI has pointed out
cooling of milk) through to the consumers' that 30-35% of India's 60 million tones of
refrigerator/freezer, and all the steps in fruits and vegetables gets wasted due to lack
between. Chilling involves reducing food of adequate storage and other facilities. In growth to the targeted 4%.
temperatures to below ambient value terms food worth Rs 580 billion goes FICCI has argued that the aggregated cost for
temperatures, but above 1oC. This results in waste in India, more than the total providing cool chain facilities keeping the
effective short-term preservation of food production of fresh fruits and vegetables in current storage capacities and benchmarking it
materials. Great Britain. with current production levels is estimated at
Control of the cold chain is vital to preserve This is due to lack of appropriate post-harvest Rs. 15700 crores. (considering facilities such as
the safety and quality of refrigerated foods. infrastr ucture like cold chains and Pre-Cooling, Pack House Units, Ripening
India has in its favor suitable climatic warehouses. At present, there are about 1,300 Chambers, CA Storages, Reefer Vans, CPC,
conditions and large fertile lands. It has the cold storage facilities in India. However, a Refrigerated ULD Containers, Refrigerated
potential of being the Food Basket of the large percentage of these are either under- Containers, Retail Cabinets, Mobile Retail
World. Consider these facts : utilised or completely unused for most of the Cabinets).
year. The gap for stationary cold storage Although government has accorded 'priority
• India is the Second largest producer of
infrastructure is over 60% and a whopping sector' status to the food processing sector, the
vegetables in the world
80% in mobile cold storage facilities like fact remains that though attention is paid at
• Second only to China refrigerated trucks and rail wagons. the pre-harvest stage for boosting the levels of
Logistics has a greater role to play especially in production by techniques like crop rotation,
the food and beverage and grocery retailing. soil conservation, pest control, fertilizers,
FICCI has stated that developing the cold irrigation etc., but post harvest issues such as
In value terms food chain has the potential of bringing about cold chain facilities are addressed inadequately.
immense growth by benefiting the farmers at Tax concessions to corporate investment
worth Rs 580 billion one end and enabling customers at retail would improve the entire value chain and
counters get the highest quality food make Indian agriculture more competitive.
goes waste in India, products, absolutely fresh and at great value. Without a strong and dependable cold chain, a
more than the total A world class Cold Chain Infrastructure vital sector like Fresh Foods industry which is
network will minimize the colossal wastage based mostly on perishable products cannot
production of fresh of perishable farm produce, make a dent on survive and grow. And with about 27.5% of
primary product-push inflation, reduce the
fruits and vegetables government's Rs. 25, 000 crore food subsidy
Indians that means 30.17 crore people, still
living below the poverty line, can we justify
in Great Britain. bill, ensure quality produce to the consumers, the food wastage?
boost rural employment and drive agriculture

14 In-house magazine of Group TCI