Page 9 - Status Report

The Context

The annual value of harvest and post-harvest
losses of major agricultural produce at the
national level, according to data published by
the Ministry of Food Processing Industries in
2016, has been estimated to be of the order of
Rs. 92,651 crores (USD 13 Billion). A large part
of this avoidable loss of agricultural produce
is attributable to inadequate availability of cold
storage infrastructure. The common practice
adopted by farmers is to use diesel generators
for chilling that is both costly and impractical for
small farms. Strategically, holistic development of
integrated cold-chain holds the key for reducing
post-harvest losses, ensuring uninterrupted
supply and thereby minimizing food inflation.

The Initiative

Promethean Power Systems, a U.S.-based company,and
Icelings, an Indian company were awarded the U.S.-India
Science and Technology Endowment Fund (USISTEF)
grant to develop a mobile refrigerated storage container to
store and preserve fruits, vegetable and other perishable
agricultural products both at the source of production and
as they make their way from rural farms to urban markets.
The solution is achieved through the new Thermo-power
technology, which stores electricity in the form of thermal
energy (using a phase-change material), as opposed to
electrical energy. The innovators have engineered a solution
that makes it possible to take advantage of grid power
whenever it is available. Working independent of harvest
timing, this off-grid refrigeration container has allowed
farmers to sell their produce at fair prices.

The Outcome

The use of this innovative technology has also resulted in reduced capital and operating costs.
Additionally, the equipment pays for itself in cost savings from reduced spoilage within a single
peak season. The product is more durable and less expensive than existing diesel-fuel powered
refrigeration systems. Another advantage is that the solution can be customized depending on
the requirements of the users. The team has successfully installed a cold-storage facility with
thermal battery backup at a farm in Pune. Currently, 1-2 ton cold-storage facilities are available at
competitive prices.

Status Report 9