REFRAMING INDIA’S COLD CHAIN CRISIS: FROM POST-HARVEST LOSSES TO SUSTAINABLE VALUE CHAIN TRANSFORMATION

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19690199

Authors:

Dr. Astha Adhikari, Dr. Nidhi Verma, Dr. Himani Jalal

Keywords:

Cold Chain, Post-Harvest Losses, Sustainability, Agricultural Supply Chain, India, Food Security.

Abstract:

The farming sector has evolved much since the green revolution now productivity is no longer a challenge with India producing surplus agricultural produce despite which due do lack of proper post-harvest infrastructure the farm sector not reached its full potential. One major reason why our post-harvest management is lacking is because of the lack of adequate cold chain infrastructure leading to wastage of food produce and losses to the farmers and also this waste adds up to environmental damage in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. This paper aims to examine the gaps in the cold chain infrastructure from different perspectives structural, technical and legal policy related and their overall emphasis on the value chain infrastructure development. The study uses secondary data for the purpose and descriptive analysis. The study shows how the supply chain infrastructure in India is fragmented causing accessibility issues to small farmers due to cost burdens. The study suggests that to address the gaps in the infrastructure the focus should be on modernization of the existing technology and the usage of renewable sources of energy to lower the environmental impact. The paper concludes by providing a roadmap for cold chain infrastructure development that follows a holistic approach focusing on sustainability, food security, policy reforms and overall development of the rural economy.

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