Lack of food storage leads to loss of Rs 440 million worth of crops every year.
Bangalore: If the report prepared by Emerson Climate Technologies is to be believed, about Rs 440 million worth of fruits, vegetables and grains get wasted every year in the country due to the poor storage facility.
The report says that India is world’s largest producer of milk and second largest producer of fruits and vegetables. Sadly, it is also one of the biggest food wasters in the world.
Despite high food production India finds it difficult to feed its own people. This is due to the substantial wastage, mainly fruits and vegetables, caused by poor cold storage infrastructure and inefficient handling.
These drawbacks not only affect the freshness and quality of food products, but lead to rise in prices. Wastage can lead to the doubling of fruit and vegetables prices, while milk could 50 per cent more, the report pointed out.
In India, due to the low awareness about food freshness and nutritional value, lower quality fruits and vegetables are being consumed. Appropriate food storage plays a critical role in preserving the nutritional value of food and also prevents food borne illness caused by harmful bacteria, the report stated.
If the food is not stored properly it results in loss of nutrition, affecting large sections of the poor, particularly women and children. Consequently, physical growth and health deteriorates in adults, work capacity and productivity reduces in children, the report said.
According to Central Institute of Post Harvest Engineering and Technology (CIPHET), Ludhiana, the annual cumulative wastage percentage in various commodities is as follows:
( Source : dc )
Next Story
