Food worth ₹1.22 lakh crore is wasted every year:Only 4% of fruits and vegetables have access to cold storage; food inflation could reach 8.20%

Nearly ₹1.22 lakh crore worth of food goes to waste in India every year before it reaches people’s plates. According to a report by Climate Trends, there are two major reasons for this: the lack of cold-storage facilities to preserve fruits and vegetables in the country, and changing weather patterns and rising temperatures. Only 4% of the country’s total fresh produce has access to cold-storage facilities. Food wastage causes shortages in the market, directly affecting people’s budgets and food inflation. According to the report, 30% to 40% of fruits and vegetables rot before reaching markets or consumers. Meanwhile, 5% to 6% of grain is also spoiled in transit because of inadequate storage and transportation. This could push food inflation up to 8.20%. Crop wastage is not farmers’ loss but a failure of the entire system Dr Palak Baliyan, head of research at Climate Trends, says that the spoilage of grains, fruits and vegetables in India is not merely an agricultural problem, but a failure of the entire infrastructure and supply chain. One-third of fruits and vegetables are wasted before they reach consumers. On top of this, weather-related disruptions such as severe heat and unseasonal rain further increase these losses.