Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: The cold storage project launched by the Jharkhand State Agricultural Marketing Board (JSAMB) to provide farmers with modern and scientific storage facilities has failed to take off. Built between January and June 2014 at a cost of ₹3.67 crore, 16 cold storage units remain defunct to this day.
Vision vs. Reality
JSAMB, established in March 2001, was meant to help farmers secure better selling facilities and fair prices through Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs). As part of this mission, approval for 18 cold storage units was granted in May 2010. Of these, 16 were completed, while 2 remained unfinished due to land disputes.
Inspection Findings
An inspection and physical verification conducted between October 2020 and January 2023 revealed that all 16 units were lying idle and deteriorating. Neither trained technical staff was appointed nor was there any operational mechanism in place. Farmers too showed little interest, preferring to sell their produce directly in the market instead of using cold storage.
Failed Attempts to Operate
In 2016, a decision was taken to run the units through Vegfed, but the APMCs never handed over the facilities to the committees concerned. As a result, equipment worth crores of rupees has been lying unused for years, with no returns on the heavy investment.
Admission of Failure
By March 2024, JSAMB officially acknowledged that lack of trained manpower and delays in operational planningwere the main reasons for the non-utilisation of these cold storage facilities. Experts believe that if these units had been made functional, they could have provided farmers with critical storage support, reduced post-harvest losses, and improved agricultural income.
