COLD CHAIN APPLICATIONS – CHALLENGES AND TECHNOLOGY HARSHAL SURANGE ACR PROJECT CONSULTANTS acr.consultants@gmail.com www.acrconsultants.net

Safe Hygienic & Refrigeration Assisted COLD CHAIN From to FARM CONSUMER NOT NEW TO INDIA – FAIRLY WELL ESTABLISHED FOR MILK & MILK PRODUCTS -- TO SOME EXTENT FOR FISH, MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS - - STILL AT INFANCY FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES Cold Chain Safe Hygienic & Refrigeration Assisted Food

DIFFERENT COMPONENTS OF THE COLD CHAIN CONVENTIONAL COLD STORAGE PACKHOUSES, PRECOOLING & COLD STORAGE C.A.STORAGE FROZEN FOODS PLANTS A.C / VENTILATED STORAGE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS SUPER MARKETS / RETAILERS REFRIGERATED TRANSPORT

ROUTE – A -- CONVENTIONAL COLD STORAGE FARM I BULK PACKING   I TRANSPORT CLEANING SORTING GRADING COLD-STORAGE (DRYING)   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER Multipurpose C/S at Consuming Centre BULK C/S at Producing Centre POTATOES / APPLES / RED CHILLIES / RAISINS DRY FRUITS FRESH F&V SPICES PULSES JAGGERY BEANS MILK PRODUCTS NEW PRODUCTS GETTING ADDED LIKE TURMERIC, CARROTS etc

TYPICAL CONVENTIONAL MULTI-FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH MANUAL LOADING Cold Store - 1971 FROM TO TYPICAL CONVENTIONAL MULTI-FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH MANUAL LOADING MODERN MULTIPRODUCT MULTI FLOOR STRUCTURE WITH MECHANISED LOADING

ROUTE – B -- PACK HOUSE WITH PRECOOLING AND COLD STORAGE FARM   I BULK PACKING TRANSPORT CLEANING (WASHING) (DRYING) SORTING GRADING PRE-COOLING COLD-STORAGE REFRIGERATEDTRANSPORT   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER PRECOOLING IS A PROCESS OF ACCELERATED COOLNG IMMEDIATELY AFTER HARVESTING THE ITEMS, WHICH, USUALLY, FOLLOW THE PRECOOLING ROUTE, ARE GRAPES, STRAW-BERRIES, POMEGRANATES & ALSO FLOWERS - PRECOOLING WITHIN A SHORT TIME AFTER HARVESTING NUMBER OF UNITS ESTABLISHED IN MAHARASHTRA, KARNATAKA ANDHRA, U.P, M.P ETC,. OTHER STATES ARE FOLLOWING SUIT. GRADING & PACKING - MANUAL / MECHANISED    

PROCESSING FACILITIES

ROUTE - C - CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE FARM   I BULK PACKING TRANSPORT I I  CLEANING SORTING GRADING  C.A  SORTING REFRIGERATED   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER USED TO EXTEND THE STORAGE LIFE OF SEASONAL PERISHABLES. INVOLVES DELAYING THE NATURAL RIPENING PROCESS. LARGELY USED IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY FOR APPLES AND TO SOME EXTENT FOR PEARS AND PLUMS (APPLES CAN BE STORED UPTO 8 MONTHS) CA TECHNOLOGY IS AT IT’S INFANCY IN INDIA AND THE ESTIMATED PRESENT CAPACITY IS AROUND 50000 MT IT HAS A GOOD POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH        

ROUTE – D -- FROZEN FOODS FARM I  BULK PACKING   I TRANSPORT CLEANING SORTING GRADING I SHORT TERM USAGE PROCESSING (PACKING) FREEZING BULK PACKING FROZEN FOOD STORAGE REFRIGERATED   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER  FROZEN FOODS PROCESSING, (PACKING) & FREEZING STORAGE IN FROZEN STATE POPULAR ITEMS ARE : GREEN PEAS, CORN, OKRA, MIXED VEGETABLES, TOMATO PUREE, MANGO PULP, MANGO SLICES DICES, PINEAPPLE SLICES ETC FISH, MEAT, POULTRY PRODUCTS, DAIRY PRODUCTS & COOKED FOOD

MODERN MEAT PROCESSING PLANT

ROUTE – E – STORAGE OF PRE-FROZEN FOODS FARM   I BULK PACKING I  TRANSPORT I     I PROCESSED PACKED & FROZEN FOOD REFRIGERATED FROZEN FOOD STORE I   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER PRE-FROZEN FOODS UNDERGO PROCESSING AND FREEZING AT THE MAIN PROCESSING PLANTS ITEMS LIKE ICE CREAMS, BUTTER, CHEESE, FISH, MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS TRANSPORT THROUGH-OUT IN REEFER VANS/ CONTAINERS TO DISTRIBUTION CENTERS / SUPER MARKETS NORMALLY LOCATED AT CONSUMER CENTERS AND ARE A PART OF MULTI-PURPOSE COLD STORES

PRE-FROZEN FOODS

ROUTE – F – A.C. / VENTILATED STORAGE FARM I  BULK PACKING   I TRANSPORT I PROCESSED AND PACKED FOOD   I AIR CONDITIONED OR VENTILATED STORAGE   DISTRIBUTION CENTER/ SUPER MARKET / RETAILER VENTILATED STORAGE SOME PROCESSED AND PACKED ITEMS NEED AIR CONDITIONED STORES (Eg. CHOCOLATES,CONFECTIONERY PRODUCTS, TOBACCO) CONTROLLED VENTILATED STORES ARE BEING USED FOR ONIONS ALSO.

Latest technology(Irradiation)

DISTRIBUTION CENTERS FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTERS RELATIVELY A NEW CONCEPT IN INDIA CARRY OUT THE FUNCTION OF PROCUREMENT OF LARGE VARIETY OF FOOD AND RELATED ITEMS INVENTORY MANAGEMENT PROCESSING AND FREEZING FOR SOME ITEMS LOGISTICS THEY WOULD PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE COMING YEARS

A TYPICAL FOOD DISTRIBUTION CENTER NORMALLY PROVIDES FOR: (A) DRY GOODS STORE FOR STORAGE OF NON- PERISHABLE GOODS WITH VENTILATED AND AIR-CONDITIONED AREAS   (B) RAW MATERIAL RECEIPT AND STORAGE BLOCK (C) PROCESSING, FREEZING AND PACKING ZONE (D) CLEANING, DRYING, GRADING, PACKING / PRECOOLING ZONE (E) RIPENING ROOMS (F) COLD AND FROZEN FOOD STORAGE (G) DELIVERY DOCK (H) SERVICES FOR WORKMEN, UTILITY SERVICE BLOCK AND ADMINISTRATION ETC.

TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENT VARIES WIDELY FROM THE CENTER HAS TO HANDLE BOTH THE FRESH VEG AND NON-VEG FOODS WHICH HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT PATHS FOR PROCESSING, COOLING / FREEZING AND STORAGE. UTILITY SERVICE BLOCK RAW MATERIAL RECEIPT & STORAGE BLOCK PROCESSING & FREEZING COLD & FROZEN FOOD STORAGE BLOCK DRY GOODS STORE SERVICES FOR WORK-MEN CLEANING, DRYING, GRADING, PACKING / PRECOOLING BLOCK DOCK ADMINISTR- ATION TYPICAL LAYOUT FOR FOOD HANDLING / PROCESSING / STORAGE AND DISTRIBUTION FACILITY TEMPERATURE REQUIREMENT VARIES WIDELY FROM 20 DEG. C TO (-) 30 DEG. C FOR VARIOUS APPLICATIONS.

Current scenario in the Cold Chain sector The perishable food production in India is estimated as: Milk : 115 Million MT (No.1 in the world) F & V : 200 Million MT (No.2 in the world) Fish : 6.4 Million MT (No.6 in the world) Meat : Largest cattle population in the world Poultry : One of the largest in the world current capacities of the cold storage & food processing : Cold Storage : Around 6000 nos - Capacity : 26 Million MT Food Processing : 5 to 6 % of production.

Opportunities With the growing fruit & vegetable production there is a great potential for development of Cold Chain in F&V sector. Food processing recognised as a Priority sector by Govt. Incentives offered by the govt. Multi-products Cold Stores – more and more products such as carrots, turmeric are being added in this category. Food Parks –designed for overall development of the food handling, processing & storage facilities. Govt. promoting 30 Mega Food Parks Terminal markets managed both by APMCs & Private players.. Pack Houses with Precooling facilities for relevant products in different regions.

Opportunities Controlled Atmosphere Stores for Apples, Pears etc. Frozen food plants for fruits & vegetables, milk products, fish, meat & poultry products. Scientific Ripening for Banana & Mango. Development of Refrigerated Transport for processed & preserved food. With the changing lifestyles of small nucleus families, demand for processed & refrigerated food is increasing National & International Food chains setting up Food Malls/ Food courts & stores in various parts of the country .

INDIA TO BE SOURCE BASE FOR PROCESSED FOOD?

Govt initiatives Excise concessions, Service Tax exemption, Govt. grants, incentives etc thru’ NHB/NHM/MoFPI/APEDA Latest move by Govt is FDI in cold chain / retail sector - Food (Fresh & Precooled) covers 62% OF Retail. Task force on development of cold chain National centre for development of cold chain - NCCD

Govt initiatives NHB – TECHNICAL STANDARDS - TECHNICAL SCRUTINY NCCD - TRAINING

Challenges in the Cold Chain sector Lack of quality Road network in most areas. Rising cost of land Shortage and erratic supply of power in most areas Rising energy costs - a cause for concern as the plants are energy intensive. Availability of required quantity & quality of water in most regions.

Challenges in the Cold Chain sector Inconsistence in quality & quantity of food production –Dependence on weather. Excessive use of pesticides. High initial project costs (Break-even period almost 5 to 6years) Lack of training on good agricultural practices, pre & post harvest technology & hygiene. Lack of availability of trained personnel for plant operation. Lack of awareness about maintenance, hygiene, safety issues & energy efficiency aspects.

CHALLENGES Article which appeared in Times Of India dtd.15.12.04 (Front Page)

WHATS NEEDS TO BE DONE? EXCISE EXEMPTION PROCEDURES RELAXED   CONCESSIONAL (AGRICULTURAL) ELECTRICAL TARIFF IN ALL STATES. A CENTRALISED REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR ALL COLD CHAIN PROJECTS. IMPROVED ROADS & TRANSPORT FACILITIES. SPECIAL INCENTIVES FOR USE OF “GREEN TECHNOLOGY”’.

Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Conclusion Where as huge opportunities exist in the development of Cold Chain as a whole, there are issues such as high project costs, high energy requirements & infrastructure aspects . The need for training of personnel on operational & food safety aspects etc. has to be addressed. There is a strong case to promote the concept of “Green Cold Chain” to ensure ecofriendly & energy efficient plant construction & operation. Govt. initiatives with financial incentives & thrust on sound technology & energy efficiency is a welcome feature, which will hopefully, bring in a healthy development in the Cold Chain.

ACR PROJECT CONSULTANTS THANK YOU HARSHAL SURANGE ACR PROJECT CONSULTANTS acr.consultants@gmail.com www.acrconsultants.net