A Study on Cold Chain Infrastructure In India and Its Future Potential

Abstract

India, as the world's second-largest producer of fruits and vegetables, faces significant challenges due to the lack of adequate cold chain infrastructure. Despite producing over 310 million tons of fruits and vegetables in 2020-21 [1], the country experiences substantial post- harvest losses of perishable commodities. Current estimates suggest that the existing cold storage infrastructure in India can only accommodate around 11% [2] of the total perishable produce, highlighting a critical gap in the cold chain network. The significance of establishing a reliable cold chain network in India is paramount. This infrastructure is instrumental in minimizing financial losses for farmers, guaranteeing food security, and delivering top-notch produce to local and global markets. The cold chain functions as a regulated logistics system that entails maintaining precise conditions such as temperature, humidity, atmosphere, and packaging to efficiently preserve and transport perishable goods.