The Government plans to scale up the scheme for creation of cold storage capacities in the country with a view to bridge the shortfall of around 10 million tonnes, according to the Food Processing Industries Ministry.

“Taking note of the high demand and gap in the requirement of cold storage, the ministry is planning to upscale the scheme and the Planning Commission has already accorded in-principle approval for the same,” said the Food Processing Industries Ministry in a background note prepared for the two-day Economic Editors’ Conference that began today.

The Task Force set up by the Agriculture Ministry has identified a huge gap of 9-10 million tonnes of cold storage capacity in the country, it said.

About 49 projects have been approved under the scheme for ‘cold chain, value-addition and preservation infrastructure’ since 2008, out of which eight projects have started commercial operation.

The scheme provides financial assistance towards 50 per cent of the total cost of plant and machinery required to enable cold storage of perishable commodities between the farm gate and consumers.

Under another scheme aimed at creating infrastructure for the food processing sector, the government had proposed 30 mega food parks, out of which 15 projects had been taken up so in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-12), the note said.

The remaining 15 projects are in the process of being granted government approval. The Mega Food Parks Scheme provides for a capital grant of 50 per cent of the project cost in difficult and notified areas, subject to a ceiling of Rs 50 crore.

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