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Inter-state perishable produce logistics

Inter-state movement of fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat and fish in India is anchored on road transport in insulated trucks, complemented by dedicated rail and air services for time-sensitive consignments. Two central government interventions — Kisan Rail of Indian Railways and Krishi Udan of the Ministry of Civil Aviation — were launched in 2020 to expand multi-modal options for perishables.

Overview

Most long-distance fresh produce moves in temperature-controlled or insulated highway trucks between APMC mandis and metropolitan terminal markets. Cold-chain transport remains under-supplied: the National Centre for Cold-chain Development (NCCD) has estimated a storage shortfall of approximately 35 million tonnes nationally, which the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) Integrated Cold Chain scheme under PMKSY aims to address.

Eligibility

Producers, FPOs, traders and food processors can book consignments on Kisan Rail and Krishi Udan routes without a separate eligibility filter beyond the operator's commercial booking norms. Subsidy support on cold-chain projects is open to individuals, partnership firms, FPOs, cooperatives and companies through the MoFPI and NHB schemes (see Cold Storage And Pack House).

Benefit and structure

  • Kisan Rail: launched in August 2020 by Indian Railways to move perishables (milk, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables) on dedicated time-tabled freight services
  • Krishi Udan: launched in August 2020 and upgraded to Krishi Udan 2.0 in October 2021, providing airlift support for perishables from production clusters to consumption and export hubs
  • MoFPI Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure scheme under PMKSY: capital subsidy for integrated cold-chain projects spanning pre-cooling, refrigerated transport and frontline retail

Implementation

Indian Railways and operating airlines coordinate routes and tariffs with the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and MoFPI. Cold-storage investments are project-by-project, with consignments linked into long-distance trade flows from clusters such as Madanapalle and Mulakalacheruvu (see Mulakalacheruvu Tomato Market) to North-Indian terminal markets.

See also Cold Storage And Pack House, Grading And Sorting Fresh Produce, Mulakalacheruvu Tomato Market and Tomato Price Cycle.

References

  1. Boosting Agricultural Transportation: Kisan Rail and Krishi Udan. Press Information Bureau.
  2. Cold Chain. Ministry of Food Processing Industries.