1. Group-VI Review of Post Harvest Management (PHM) & Value Chain
Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare

2. Post Harvest Losses
As per recent study by CIPHET, Harvest & Post Harvest losses including losses during storage for fruits and vegetables were in the range of 5% to 16%.
Stage of Post Harvest in Horticulture:-
S. No.
Stages
Range of losses (%)
Fruits
Vegetables
Operations 1.
Harvesting
1.68 – 5.33
0.99 – 3.16 2.
Collection
0.04 – 0.52 3.
Sorting/Grading
1.46 – 3.94
0.99 – 5.34 4.
Packaging
0.09 – 0.34
0.06 – 0.38 5.
Transport
0.42 – 1.91
0.51 – 1.75
Total (A)
4.12 – 11.90
3.22 – 9.41
Storage Channels 6.
Farm Storage
0.01 – 0.23 7.
Cold Storage
0.01 – 0.13
0.00 – 0.30 8.
Wholesale
0.57 – 1.62
0.31 – 1.26 9.
Retail
0.34 – 2.08
0.11 – 1.63
10.
Processing
0.03 – 0.25
0.00 – 0.17
Total (B)
1.31 – 3.98
0.78 – 0.03
Grand Total (A+B)
6.70 – 15.88
4.58 – 12.44

3. Introduction
Post-harvest losses (huge) -a matter of grave concern
India harvested MT of horticultural produce from 25.1 M ha
16 percent of fruits of vegetables, valued at Rs 40,811 crores
PHL divided into five stages as production/harvest, post harvest handling and storage, processing, distribution and consumption
Pre-harvest practices are also important

4. Issues discussed-reviewed
Infrastructure issues
Technology issues
Schematic issue
Intervention issues
Policy issues
General issues

5. Infrastructure bottle-necks
Commodity based cold storages are to be promoted
CA Storage to be promoted for temperate fruits
Adequate ventilated storage facility required for onion
Processable varieties of tomato, potato, onion, citrus, mango and guava needs promotion
A separate portal for Horticulture produce may be developed
Inadequacy of functional infrastructure in PHM for horticultural products based on production.
Technology dissemination on value addition .

6. Cold-chain Infrastructure Gap – NABCON’s study 2015
Type of Infrastructure
Infrastructure Requirement (A)
Infrastructure Created (B)
All India Gap
(A-B)
% share of Gap to Required
Pack-house
70,080 nos.
249 nos.
69,831 nos.
99.6%
Reefer Vehicles
61,826 nos.
9,000 nos.
52,826 nos.
85%
Cold Storage (Bulk)
341,64,411 MT
318,23,700 MT
32,76,962 MT
10%
Cold Storage (Hub)
9,36,251 MT
Ripening Chamber
9,131 nos.
812 nos.
8,319 nos.
91%
To understand the infrastructure requirement a comprehensive capacity study was undertaken in 2015, to help in planning and to rationalise the scheme

7. Technology Issues
Need for adequate processing facilities which are capable of processing multi-commodities
Technology for utilization of by-products of processing units (Grape seeds, pomegranate peel, rind of citrus, etc)
Validation of technologies and chemicals for increasing shelf life of perishables, like shrink wrapping, 1-Methylcyclopropene, nano-technology
Capacity building and skill development for the staff/manpower related to PHM
Exposure/Organization of International Expo on PHM technologies—latest grading-packing equipments, cold storage technologies
Tracking of humidity and temperature using sensors on real time basis during transportation of produce

8. Schematic issues
Need for upward revision of assistance to Ripening chamber
Unit cost for PHM components needs a revision
Minimum capacity of reefer van to be reviewed to facilitate floriculture and low-volume-high- value horti-products
Incentivizing FPOs for creation of PHM infrastructure
Synergy with other schemes like SAMPADA of MoFPI.

9. Intervention Issues
Use of alternate energy sources in PHM may be promoted - Solar Vending Carts, on farm cold stores.
PHM/Value addition infrastructure on custom hiring basis as tried in M.P.
Larger PHM infrastructure on rental model as rolled out in Haryana.
PPP-IHD (Public Private Partnership Integrated Horticulture Development) model for production, marketing and PHM infrastructure as done in Karnataka & Maharashtra.

10. Policy Issues
Development of Crop specific value addition technologies - creation of infrastructure like washing, grading, pre-cooling, packaging, traceability, branding of produce and linkages with market.
Most of the equipments for PHM and value addition attract high rate of GST / or imported with high duty.
Agriculture Power Tariff / preferable tariff may be applicable to PHM projects.
More institutes need to be identified for testing of PHM technology (CIPHET, Ludhiana is at present the solitary institute)

11. General Issues:
States may prepare 5 year term plan based on production, surplus availability and post harvest infrastructure.
Multi-modal logistics for quickest movement of commodities with detailed production and movement plan for the region /season across the country.
Crop-specific and cluster based value chain mapping for identifying gaps.
Farmers-Market linkage to be given due importance .
Integrated Pack House may be promoted based on clusters
Pan-India demand forecast and production strategy to be evolved