Punjab approves construction of 100 cold storages and warehouses

Lahore | By Farzana Chaudhry
The Punjab government has approved the construction of 100 cold storages and warehouses across the province as part of efforts to reduce post-harvest losses and strengthen the agricultural supply chain, officials said on Monday.
Secretary Price Control and Commodities Management Dr Kiran Khurshid said the projects have been cleared by the Planning and Development (P&D) Board on the directions of Chief Minister Punjab. The approvals include key initiatives of the Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority, notably the Punjab Agriculture Commodities Storage and Packaging Project and the Community-Based Post-Harvest Infrastructure Development Project.
According to Dr Kiran Khurshid, the storage and packaging project will be implemented at a cost of Rs0.05 billion, under which cold storages and warehouses will be established in different districts of Punjab.
He said the initiative aims to cut post-harvest losses, boost the rural economy, and develop a more resilient agricultural supply chain. Controlled-environment storage technology will be used to improve the preservation of fruits, vegetables and grains.
The official added that modern storage and packaging systems will strengthen trade linkages between farmers, traders and exporters, while providing benefits to small and medium farmers, agricultural cooperatives, young entrepreneurs and rural youth groups.
Upon completion, grain wastage is expected to decline by 5 to 10 percent, while losses of fruits and vegetables could fall by 25 to 30 percent. The projects are also projected to increase farmers’ incomes by 20 to 30 percent and generate more than 1,000 jobs across the province.