Lack of cold storage in India leads to significant banana spoilage amid soaring temperatures, impacting farmers and retailers.
As India grapples with a scorching heatwave, the country’s agricultural sector faces significant challenges, particularly in the preservation and distribution of bananas. Wholesalers like Gadadhara Mohanty in Bhubaneswar witness daily the impact of inadequate infrastructure on their livelihoods. With no refrigeration in storage facilities, a single-day delay in selling bananas can result in a 10 percent reduction in value for Mohanty’s stockpile.
India struggles with a staggering loss of fruits and vegetables post-harvest, amounting to 15 percent of the total produce. The primary culprit is poor infrastructure, which disproportionately affects small-scale farmers who are unable to invest in cooling facilities. This issue extends beyond farms to retail and consumer levels, where approximately 80 million tons of food are wasted annually, trailing only behind China.
Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts to modernize infrastructure, the agricultural sector lags behind. While production is on the rise, inadequate refrigeration persists throughout the supply chain, exacerbated by India’s dilapidated roads and lengthy transportation routes. As a result, spoilage during transit not only adds to procurement costs but also inflates consumer prices, a crucial concern during the ongoing elections.
Bananas, a highly perishable commodity, face significant challenges in transit from farms in Andhra Pradesh to wholesale markets like Bhubaneswar, enduring nearly 24-hour journeys without proper refrigeration. Farmers resort to makeshift measures like covering fruit with leaves, but the losses remain substantial, amounting to $18.4 billion in fiscal year 2020–21.
Pawanexh Kohli, former chief of the National Centre for Cold-Chain Development, highlights the disparity in cold storage capacity, particularly affecting small-holder farmers. Rising temperatures exacerbate these challenges, with extreme weather events causing further crop losses and financial setbacks for farmers like Venkatanaidu Guntreddi, who lack affordable remedies.
Despite government subsidies, the high costs of modernization deter investment in cold storage infrastructure. Informal food sales further complicate the situation, dissuading potential investors. As temperatures soar, the urgency to address these infrastructure gaps intensifies, highlighting the need for comprehensive solutions to safeguard India’s agricultural sector amidst climate change.
