Ranchi: Jharkhand has strengthened its agricultural storage and marketing infrastructure with the inauguration of a modern cold storage facility with a capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes at Budhakhukhra village in Mandar block of Ranchi district.
Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Minister Shilpi Neha Tirkey inaugurated the facility on October 26. Built at a reported cost of ₹15.01 crore, the project is intended to help farmers preserve their produce, reduce post-harvest losses and improve their ability to obtain better prices in the market.
The programme also saw the inauguration of a 100-kW solar power plant and the Tangarbasli market shed. In addition, cooperative societies and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) received agricultural transport and marketing assets worth ₹1.045 crore.
5,000-Metric-Tonne Cold Storage to Support Farmers
The cold storage facility has been developed to provide farmers in Mandar and surrounding areas with additional capacity to preserve agricultural produce after harvesting.
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The infrastructure is intended to give farmers greater flexibility in storing perishable commodities and choosing when to sell them, rather than having to take their produce to market immediately.
According to local reports, the facility has a multi-chamber arrangement and uses Freon-based refrigeration technology. Two separate chambers, each with a capacity of 125 metric tonnes, have been designed specifically for fruits and green vegetables.
Key details of the facility include:
- Location: Budhakhukhra, Mandar block, Ranchi district
- Storage capacity: 5,000 metric tonnes
- Construction cost: ₹15.01 crore
- Additional infrastructure: 100-kW solar power plant
- Specialised storage: Two 125-metric-tonne chambers for fruits and green vegetables
The availability of suitable storage is intended to help reduce spoilage and improve the handling of perishable agricultural commodities.
Project Started in 2018, Completed After Years of Delay
The cold storage project dates back to 2018 but remained incomplete for several years. Tirkey said its implementation faced multiple challenges, including delays associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, efforts to revive and complete the project gained momentum after she became an MLA in 2022 and later took charge of the Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Cooperation Department in 2024.
The minister described the completion of the facility as a challenging process and emphasised that agricultural infrastructure must deliver tangible benefits to farmers.
She said protecting farmers’ produce and creating opportunities to improve their income remained priorities for the state government.
Cooperative Societies and FPOs Receive Assets Worth ₹1.045 Crore
Alongside the cold storage inauguration, the minister distributed assets valued at approximately ₹1.045 crore to cooperative societies and Farmer Producer Organisations to strengthen the transportation and marketing of agricultural produce.
The distribution included:
- Nine pickup vehicles
- Two mini trucks
- Two mobile vending carts
These resources are intended to help farmer organisations transport produce and improve access to markets.
Better transportation and marketing facilities can be particularly useful for groups handling perishable goods, as timely movement is important for maintaining product quality. The initiative is intended to strengthen the infrastructure available to cooperatives and FPOs involved in agricultural marketing.
Solar Power Plant and Tangarbasli Market Shed Inaugurated
The programme also included the inauguration of a 100-kW solar power plant at the cold storage site.
The solar installation adds a renewable energy component to the facility’s infrastructure. However, the available reports do not specify what proportion of the cold storage’s electricity demand the plant is expected to meet.
Tirkey also inaugurated the Tangarbasli market shed, adding another facility to the area’s agricultural marketing infrastructure. Details about the shed’s construction cost and operational arrangements were not specified in the reports.
Focus on Storage, Transportation and Market Access
The inauguration brings together three elements of agricultural infrastructure: storage, transportation and marketing.
The cold storage facility is intended to help farmers preserve their produce, while the vehicles and vending carts distributed to cooperatives and FPOs are meant to improve its movement and sale. The Tangarbasli market shed adds another facility for local market-related activities.
The practical benefits will depend on farmers’ access to the facilities, operating arrangements and costs, as well as the availability of transport and market linkages.
With the completion of the Budhakhukhra project, Jharkhand has added a major storage facility to the agricultural infrastructure serving the Mandar region.
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