Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards enhancing agricultural infrastructure, a high-level meeting was convened under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment, KV Singh Deo, to discuss the establishment of cold storage facilities across Odisha. The meeting aimed to accelerate efforts to ensure proper storage of agricultural produce and reduce post-harvest losses.
Representatives from various cold storage service providers showcased their advanced technologies, services, and cost estimates to the Deputy CM. Notably, two companies—one specializing in electric cold storage and the other in solar-powered cold storage—presented their proposals, which are aimed at creating sustainable and efficient solutions for preserving perishable goods.
Under the initiative led by the Chief Minister, the Agriculture Department is working towards setting up cold storage facilities in every sub-division of the state. KV Singh Deo encouraged the service providers to leverage the subsidies offered by the government, urging entrepreneurs to come forward and invest in these facilities to support the agricultural community.
Principal Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, informed that a delegation would soon visit the existing cold storage facilities operated by these organizations to evaluate their performance. Based on their reports, the government will make further decisions regarding the selection of service providers and the implementation of these facilities.
The meeting was also attended by Director of Agriculture, Prem Chandra Chaudhary, Director of Horticulture, Nikhil Pawan Kalyan, and other senior officials, reflecting the government’s commitment to developing a robust agricultural support system in Odisha.