Agriculture is a major source of livelihood in India, engaging over 60% of families, however farmer incomes are low. Current food grain production will need to double by 2050 to meet population demands. However, India wastes a significant amount of its food - over 30% of produce is lost, amounting to economic losses of nearly $100 billion annually. High levels of pesticide residues above legal limits are found in many crops due to overuse and misuse of chemicals in farming. Transitioning to organic farming practices and reducing post-harvest losses through improved storage and processing infrastructure are seen as ways to boost incomes and ensure future food security.

1. POST - HARVEST HANDLING AND
VALUE ADDITION IN AGRICULTURE

2. STATE OF AGRICULTURE IN INDIA
Agriculture is practiced in
about 140 million hectares in
55000 villages. About 60%
families (34% households +
26% agri-labours) and 1180
lakh farmers are engaged in
agriculture.

3. Income of farmers is very low
as compared to non-farm
workers and the gap is
increasing.
This is major source of agrarian
distress and also diminishing
interest in farming resulting
serious implications for future
food security.

4. Present food grain production
is about 271.98 million tons
(2016-17).
We will need 470 million tons
food grains for our fast
growing population estimated
to be 165 crores by 2050.

5. India has world’s largest
area under cultivation in
food grains (wheat and
paddy). However, India is
home to 25% of the
world’s hungry population.

6. CHALLENGES OF FARM SECTOR
Farm productivity enhancement
under marginal environment.
Chemical free production.
Conservation of natural resources.
Farm income enhancement.

7. USE EFFICIENCY OF PESTICIDES
Pesticides Use efficiency Wastage
* Weedicides 5% 95%
* Insecticides
- Liquid form used in spray 2% 98%
- Solid form used in soil 3% 97%

8. RESIDUES OF PESTICIDES ABOVE
TOLERANCE LIMIT
• Maharashtra - 75%
• Gujarat - 70%
• Andhra Pradesh - 57%
• Himachal Pradesh - 56%
• Punjab - 51%
• Other States - 10%

9. PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FOOD CROPS
(Above Legal permissible limit)
• Rice - 1325 %
• Wheat - 322%
• Pulses - 96 to 124 %
• Oilseeds - 76 to 144 %

10. PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN VEGETABLES
(Above Legal permissible limit)
• Brinjal - 860%
• Okra - 55%
• Cabbage - 95%
• Cauliflower - 320%
• Tomato - 263%
• Cucurbits - 147 to 371%
• Beans - 21%
• Potato - 9%

11. PESTICIDE RESIDUES IN FRUITS
(Above Legal permissible limit)
• Apple - 140%
• Mango - 90%
• Strawberry - 155%
• Grape - 560%
• Papaya - 115%
• Banana - 51%
• Oranges - 21%
• Mandarin - 69%

12. ULTIMATE CONSEQUENCES OF
CHEMICAL FARMING
By the end of 2050:
Ground water will be totally
unfit for drinking purposes
and more or less entire
population will be in crisis of
drinking water.

13. By the end of 2050:
Entire earth would become
barren and Soil will be
un-productive.
No crop production even after
heavy investment and there will
be no alternate to prevent
people from starvation.

14. By the end of 2050:
Due to un-safe air for
respiration and heavy
occurrence of various diseases,
Human death rate will increase
skyrocketing in spite of vast
medical aids and peoples will
be struggling for survival.

15. STATE OF FOOD LOSSES
At global level:
As per recent report of FAO,
about 1.7 billion tones or 1/3 of
total production is lost or
wasted every year.

16. 1 in each 3 persons
worldwide is not getting
enough food to eat per
day.
Approximately 800 million
people sleep hungry every
night .

17. More than 80% of global food
losses occurs in 3 stages:
24% during production stage.
24% during post-harvest
operations.
35% during consumption.

18. Food losses in India:
About 30 to 35% Agriculture
produce is lost every. This includes
25 to 30% loss of food grains,
35 to 40% loss of Fruits &
vegetables and 20 to 25% loss of
meat.
The economic value of such loss is
estimated to Rs 44000/- crore.

19. The total food loss and wastage
per year in India is estimated to
the value of Rs. 92651/- Crores.
This value is about 49.50% of
total budget allocated for
Rural, Agriculture & allied
sectors during 2017-18

20. Food grain losses at farmer’s
storage is estimated to 6%.
During the storage of FCI,
the food grain losses is
estimated to 30%.

21. STAGES OF FOOD LOSSES
 During post harvest operations.
Curing after harvest.
Sorting and grading.
Pre-cooling before storage.
Storage.
Transportation.
Dehydration and packaging.
Value addition.

22.  At the end of supply chain.
- Weddings & Banquets (56%).
- Restaurants (21%).
- Hotels (17%).
- Homes (6%).

23. IMPACT OF FOOD LOSSES
1.
Wasting of one kilogram wheat
would mean wasting of 1500
liters of water that utilized
during its production. Incase of 1
kg loss of paddy, the loss of
water is 3500 liters utilized
during production.

24. 2
Food loss is responsible for
emission of green house gases
globally estimated to nearly
3.3 billion tones per year.
It contribute 8% of total
global greenhouse gases.

25. 3
The enormous food loss per
year results economic,
environmental and social
impacts to the tune of
1 trillion Dollars, 700 dollars
& 900 Dollars, respectively.

26. 4. Increases cost of food of
consumers.
5. Reduces income of farm
producers.
6. Create major challenge of
food security.

27. REASONS OF FOOD LOSSES AND
ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN
Insufficient budget for research on
loss reduction.
Fund should be increased for research
on reducing food grain losses.

28. Lack of responsibility of FCI
officials.
Major reforms are needed in the
functioning of FCI and making
officials responsible for grains losses
and money wastage.

29. Poor storage infrastructure.
Storage infrastructure and facilities
should be modernized. CAP godowns
should be converted into Silos with
mechanized assemblies. Use of silo bags
(3 layered Poly bags) are recommended
for safe storage of food grains.

30. Poor transportation facilities
Transportation should be in
containers instead of gunny
bags.

31. STATE OF
FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR
Food sector has emerged as a
high growth and high profit sector
and ranks 5th in the world in
production, export and
consumption.

32. Food processing sector contributes:
14% of manufacturing GDP,
13% of India’s export,
6% of total industrial investment,
32% of total food market.
Employ 13 million people directly
and 35 million indirectly.

33. Number of players in Food
processing industries are
small.
About 42% output comes from
unorganized sector, 25% from
organized sector and rest from
small players.

34. At present, the total
value addition by food
processing industries is
about 8% of total food
production.

35. STAGES OF VALUE ADDITION
1.
Post-harvest primary processing:
(Cleaning, grading & packaging.
Applicable to fruits & vegetables).

36. 2.
Post-harvest secondary processing:
(Basic processing, packaging &
branding, Applicable to grains, high
volume low margin business).

37. 3.
High-end processing:
It is capital intensive, high
technology dependant &
competitive business).
(Involves complex processing
technologies, equipments &
finance,

38. Major constraints in building
Agro-Industries in India
1. Lack of coordination between the
R&D Institutes (ICAR, CSIR and
DBT) and the agro-industries.

39. 3. Poor market linkages for processed
products for getting price advantage.
4. Lack of sufficient credit availability,
administrative encouragement and
policy support.
5. Very Poor transport system and
high-way structures for well
connectivity with urban markets.

40. 8. Shortage of skilled manpower and
lacking of core competency.
7. Lack of power supply which is
single most limiting factor.

41. CONCLUSION
1
Emphasis and priority on
organic farming for:
 Minimizing Post-harvest losses,
Production of quality processed
products.
 Prevention of degradation of
natural resources.
 Nutritional security.

42. 2. Emphasis and priority should
be on diversification wheat–
paddy based cropping system to:
Climate-hardy, drought resistant,
essential nutrients rich and low
water-loving super food crops.