🌾 From Harvest to Home: Building Resilient Infrastructure for Storage of Food Grains

(UPSC GS-III Mains Oriented Answer)

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📌 Introduction

India has moved from a food-deficit nation at the time of Independence to the second-largest producer of food grains in the world today. With record food grain production touching 353.96 million tonnes (2024–25), the country has achieved self-sufficiency. However, the real challenge now lies not only in production but also in scientific storage and distribution.

Food security requires that the harvested grain reaches households in adequate quantity, at the right time, and without quality loss. Yet, post-harvest losses in India remain high (6–10%), largely due to inadequate and unscientific storage. Hence, resilient storage infrastructure forms the backbone of India’s food management system.

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📌 Importance of Foodgrain Storage

1. Food Security & Buffer Stock

   • Storage ensures year-round supply of food under NFSA, PMGKAY, and PDS.

   • Helps maintain minimum buffer stock norms for emergencies.

2. Reducing Post-Harvest Losses

   • Improper storage leads to losses due to pests, rodents, fungi, and moisture.

   • Scientific storage (silos, cold storage) preserves quality and prevents wastage.

3. Farmers’ Income & Distress Sale Prevention

   • Storage allows farmers to hold grain and sell when prices improve.

   • Decentralised godowns reduce dependence on middlemen.

4. Price Stabilisation & Inflation Control

   • By releasing grains strategically, government prevents sudden price rise.

5. Quality & Food Safety

   • Scientific handling reduces contamination risks and ensures nutritional value.

6. Strategic & Geopolitical Importance

   • Large reserves help India negotiate trade, supply neighbours, and provide humanitarian aid.

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📌 Current Storage Ecosystem in India

1. Centralised Storage (FCI-led)

• Food Corporation of India (FCI) procures wheat and rice under MSP.

• Maintains Central Pool stocks for PDS.

• Capacity: 917.83 LMT (July 2025).

• Methods:

  • Conventional godowns.

  • Steel silos (scientific, automated storage).

  • CAP (Cover and Plinth) storage (temporary, less scientific).

2. Cold Storage

• 8,815 cold storages with 40.21 million MT capacity.

• Used for perishables (vegetables, fruits, dairy, meat).

• Supported by PMKSY, AIF, and subsidy schemes.

3. Decentralised Storage (PACS model)

• Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS): village-level storage godowns.

• Also act as procurement centres and Fair Price Shops.

• Reduce transport costs, improve accessibility.

• 73,492 PACS computerised (June 2025); 5,937 new PACS registered.

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📌 Government Initiatives & Schemes

1. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

   • Concessional credit + interest subvention for warehouses, silos, cold storage.

   • ₹73,155 Cr sanctioned for 1.27 lakh projects (2025).

2. Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI)

   • Godown creation & subsidy.

   • 49,796 projects sanctioned (982.94 LMT capacity).

3. PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana (PMKSY)

   • Food processing + cold chain development.

   • 1,601 projects approved; capacity 255.66 LMT annually.

4. PEG Scheme (2008)

   • Private sector builds godowns; govt guarantees rent for safe storage.

5. Steel Silo Projects (PPP model)

   • 27.75 LMT completed; 36.87 LMT under construction.

6. World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperatives (2023)

   • PACS to set up godowns, custom hiring centres, food processing.

   • Pilot projects in 11 PACS completed.

7. Storage & Godown Scheme (Focus on NE)

   • Outlay ₹484 Cr (NE: ₹379 Cr).

   • Reduces regional disparity in storage capacity.

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📌 Challenges in Foodgrain Storage

1. Regional Imbalance

   • Cold storages concentrated in UP, Maharashtra, Gujarat, WB.

   • NE, tribal, and aspirational districts lag far behind.

2. Post-Harvest Losses

   • Still 6–10% wastage despite infra creation.

   • CAP method (traditional) highly unscientific.

3. Climate Change Threats

   • Rising temperatures & erratic rainfall affect grain preservation.

4. Operational Inefficiency

   • Idle storage capacity in some regions due to poor connectivity.

5. Financial Stress of PACS

   • Lack of working capital, managerial skills.

6. Private Sector Reluctance

   • Policy uncertainty, long payback periods discourage investment.

7. Digital Gap

   • Lack of real-time monitoring → leakages, inefficiency.

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📌 Way Forward (Reforms Needed)

1. Expand Decentralised Storage

   • Village-level PACS godowns to cut logistics cost.

2. Shift to Modern Silos

   • Faster replacement of CAP method with steel silos.

   • Bulk handling reduces losses, increases shelf life.

3. Digital Integration

   • IoT, blockchain for real-time stock monitoring.

   • Integration of FCI, state, PACS storage on one digital platform.

4. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure

   • Energy-efficient cold storage using solar & natural refrigerants.

5. Balanced Regional Growth

   • Incentives for NE, hilly & tribal areas.

6. Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)

   • Encourage investment in warehousing, logistics, cold chain.

7. Farm-Gate & FPO Infrastructure

   • Encourage on-farm silos, cooperative warehouses, mobile cold storage.

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📌 Conclusion

India’s agricultural success now depends on post-harvest management as much as on production. Resilient foodgrain storage infrastructure ensures that the gains of record harvests are not lost to wastage. Strengthening PACS-led decentralised storage, integrating modern technology like silos and digital monitoring, and building climate-resilient cold chains will secure India’s path towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance) and Viksit Bharat @2047.

In short: India’s challenge has shifted “from farm to fork” to “from harvest to home.” Scientific storage is the bridge between surplus production and true food security.