Cold-chain infrastructure, need of the hour: PHD Conference

Highlighting the challenges and the way forward for the Indian cold-chain industry and to understand the impact of cold-chain systems in doubling farmers’ income, PHD Chamber of Commerce organised the national conference on Future of Cold-chain Infrastructure in India, in New Delhi. Anant Swarup, Joint Secretary (Logistics), Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, speaking at the event, said, “There is no integrated approach in the logistics industry and the government is trying to connect the dots. It is the government’s vision to double farmers’ income, and with the agri-export policy, we are trying to serve the objective.” He also claimed that the country’s shift from cold storage to cold-chain was a positive one. “It is time for industry stakeholders to step in and get involved with the challenges and solutions,” he added.
Addressing attendees, Ashish Mohan Wig, Managing Director, National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India, said, “The industry is facing several challenges, from lack of quality warehousing infrastructure to connectivity issues. We talk about Skill India, but we are not looking into skilling in the warehousing industry,” he said.