1. Post Harvest Handling & Value Addition
28th September 2017
Amit Mundawala | Executive Director

2. Collateral Management
About StarAgri
Warehousing
Collateral Management
Star Labs
Procurement
Logistics
Private Mandi
AgriBazaar
Founded in 2006, StarAgri is one of Asia’s leading post harvest solutions company with global ambitions. With an integrated agri-solutions strategy across the post harvest needs of both producers and buyers, we leverage tie-ups with some of India’s leading financial institutions to hold commodities worth INR 250 billion across over 250 collateral management locations. Our unrivalled farmer reach, in-depth understanding of the agribusiness and appreciation of the challenges facing the country’s rural sector have enabled us to grow into one of India’s most preferred agribusiness service provider.
With a pan-India network of 1,300+ warehouses across 16 states and over 1.5 million tonnes of warehousing capacity, StarAgri caters to customers ranging from banks to international bulk commodity buyers, food, health & FMCG companies and commodity exchanges. We deliver integrated post harvest solutions including warehousing, collateral financing, procurement and value-added services to enhance efficiency across the entire food supply chain.

3. Food Security & Post Harvest Management
“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have PHYSICAL and ECONOMIC access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” - FAO
Post harvest management can contribute in 3 ways
Reduce prices
Enhance availability
Reduce losses

4. Challenges in distribution
“The crux of India's food problem today pertains not so much on increasing food availability or production but with the distribution of food”
Challenges with food distribution (grains & pulses)
Lack of market infrastructure – price disparity
Lack of assaying & quality certification resources
Lack Bulk handling & storage infrastructure – adds handling cost & losses

5. Marketing infrastructure
Issues related to Marketing Infrastructure
Limited number of mandis, lack of facilities within mandis, lack of transparency & information sharing, limited number of buyers, non-standard mandi rules across states (and even within states)
Recommendations to address the issues
E-Mandis
Online virtual mandis
Large number of entry points (delivery centers) with integrated infrastructure for assaying, trading, storage, financing, etc.
Warehouse as e-mandi
PPP in Mandis
Integrating public and private resources for wide reach
Partnership with private service providers for successful implementation of eNAM

6. Quality assaying for standardization
Issues related to Quality assaying
Diversified cropping pattern, diversified farming practices, large number of varieties and grades within varieties, Small land holdings – small lot sizes
Recommendations to address the issues
Lab infrastructure
Creating awareness about need for quality assaying
QC labs infrastructure to reach out to every market place
Standardization of sampling and assaying practices
Skilled manpower
integrating public and private resources for wide reach
(the main reason why eNAM has not been able to succeed despite efforts from Government)

7. Bulk handling & storage
Issues related to Bulk handling & storage
Traditional bags storage leads to low space utilization, higher handling cost, high cost of storage infrastructure, losses, low shelf life | Bulk storage limited to wheat and rice only
Recommendations to address the issues
Silos at farmgate
Low capacity storage
Mechanized handling

8. Post harvest management for perishables
Primary processing at production centers
Sorting, grading, packaging processing infrastructure at production centers to reduce post harvest losses
Temperature controlled storage
Existing cold storage infrastructure capital intensive and high on operational cost due to low capacity utilization
Temperature controlled storage to reduce capital cost and enhance capacity utilization
Reefer transportation
Lack of reefer trucks due to high capital cost
Subsidy from Government to enhance logistics infrastructure

9. Thank you