COLD STORAGE India is the largest producer of fruits and second largest producer of vegetables in the world. In spite of that per capita availability of fruits and vegetables is quite low because of post harvest losses which account for about 25% to 30% of production. Besides, quality of a sizable quantity of produce also deteriorates by the time it reaches the consumer. Most of the problems relating to the marketing of fruits and vegetables can be traced to their perishability. Perishability is responsible for high marketing costs, market gluts, price fluctuations and other similar problems. At low temperature, perishability is considerably reduced and the shelf life is increased and thus the importance of cold storage or refrigeration. The first cold store in India was reported to have been established in Calcutta in 1892. However significant progress in the expansion of the cold storage industry in the country has been made only after independence. With a view to ensuring the observance of proper conditions in the cold stores and to providing for development of the industry in a scientific manner, the govt of India and the ministry of agriculture promulgated an order known as "Cold Storage Order, 1964" under Section 3 of the Essential Commodities Act,1955. The Agricultural Marketing Advisor to the Govt of India is the Licensing Officer.A cold storage facility accessible to them will go a long way in removing the risk of distress sale to ensure better returns. Status of Cold storage and its potential in India The estimated annual production of fruits and vegetables in the country is about 130 million tonnes. This accounts for 18% of our agricultural output. Due to diverse agro climatic conditions and better availability of package of practices, the production is gradually rising. Although, there is a vast scope for increasing the production, the lack of cold storage and cold chain facilities are becoming major bottlenecks in tapping the potential. The cold storage facilities now available are mostly for a single commodity like potato, orange, apple, grapes, pomegranates, flowers, etc. which results in poor capacity utilization. Storage of foods and Storage Conditions Foods and many other commodities can be preserved by storage at low temperature, which retards the activities of micro organisms. Micro organisms are the spoilage agents and consist of bacteria, yeasts and molds. Low temperature does not destroy those spoilage agents as does high temperature, but greatly reduces their activities, providing a practical way of preserving perishable foods in their natural state which otherwise is not possible through heating. The low temperature necessary for preservation depends on the storage time required often referred to as short or long term shortage and the type of product. In general, there are three groups of products: 1. 2. 3.
Foods that are alive at the time of storage, storage, distribution and sale e.g. fruits and vegetables, vegetables, Foods that are no longer alive alive and have been processed in some form form e.g. meat and fish products, products, and Commodities that benefit from storage at controlled temperature e.g. beer, beer, tobacco, khandsari, etc.
Living foods such as fruits and vegetables have some natural protection against the activities of micro organism. The best method of preserving these items is to keep the product alive and at the same time retard the natural enzyme activity which will retard the rate of ripening or maturity. Preservation of non-living foods is more difficult since they are susceptible to spoilage. The problem is to preserve dead tissues from decay and putrefaction. Long term storage of meat and fish product can only be achieved by freezing and then by storing it at temperature below -15oC. Only certain fruits and vegetables can benefit from freezing. However, for fruits and vegetables one should be very careful about the recommended storage temperature and humidity a deviation from which will have adverse effect on the stored product leading to even loss of the entire commodity.
Products such as apples, tomatoes, oranges, etc. cannot be frozen and close control of temperature is necessary for long term storage. Some product can also be benefited by storing under controlled atmosphere and modified atmosphere conditions. Dairy products are produced from animal fats and therefore non living foodstuffs. They suffer from the oxidation and breakdown of their fats, causing rancidity. Packaging to exclude air and hence Oxygen can extend storage life of such foodstuffs. Technology A cold storage unit incorporates a refrigeration system to maintain the desired room environment for the commodities to be stored. A refrigeration system works on two principles:
1. 2.
Vapour absorption system (VAS), and Vapour compression system (VCS)
VAS,
although comparatively costlier, is quite economical in operation and adequately compensates the higher initial investment. Wherever possible such a system should be selected to conserve on energy and operational cost. However, it has its own limitations when temperature requirement is below 100C and many of the fruits and vegetables except seeds, mango, etc. require lower than 100C for long storage. VCS
is comparatively cheaper than VAS. There are three types of VCS systems available depending upon the cooling arrangements in the storage rooms i.e., diffuser type, bunker type and fin coil type. Diffuser type is comparatively costlier and is selected only when the storage room heights are low. The operational cost of such units is also higher. Bunker type is the cheapest and is preferred when storage room heights normally exceeds 11.5 m. Its operational cost is also low. Fin coil type, although about 5% costlier than the bunker type, is very energy efficient with low operational cost and higher space availability for storage of produce. Such system is used for units with room heights of 5.4m onwards. In a refrigeration system, refrigerants are used to pick up heat by evaporation at a lower temperature and pressure from the storage space and give up the heat by condensation at a higher temperature and pressure in a condenser. Freon used to be a common refrigerant but as it causes environmental degradation, its use is going to be banned by the year 2008. Therefore, Ammonia is being increasingly used and preferred for horticultural and plantation produce in cold storage units. Heat load factors normally considered in a cold storage design are : 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Wall, floor and ceiling heat gains due to conduction Wall and ceiling heat gains from solar radiation Load due to ingression of air by frequent door openings and during fresh air charge. Product load from incoming goods Heat of respiration from stored product Heat from workers working in the room Cooler fan load Light load Aging of equipment Miscellaneous loads
India Cold Storage Show 2011 aims to bring together all relevant cold storage users along with relevant
service providers of cold storage facilities on one platform. Gujarat having per-capita GDP significantly above India's average is the heart of industrial development in India today. With events such as India Warehousing Show and India Cold Storage Show 2011 the entire sector will come together at one platform enabling a buyer-seller point.
Description
Today Cold Storage is called the Sunrise sector of India with Food and Pharma industries being are the largest users of the cold storage. Indian food industry is valued at US$ 180 billion and comprise of food processing industry which is estimated at US$ 67 billion, while the Pharma industry touched $9.48 billion by 2010. This Total cold chain event will act as a "litmus test" for cold chain professionals to understand the leading solutions and strategies in temperature controlled distribution from around the world, giving insight into the "state of play" of cold chain in new markets throughout India. The
concurrent conference focusing on latest technology in cold storage will benefit the cold chain professionals with necessary compliance information to help establish global quality and regulatory processes and standards.
Facts
& Figures
As per a study conducted by the directorate of marketing inspection (DMI) it has been found that almost all cold storage projects for agro produce sanctioned under the capital investment subsidy scheme (CISS) have been completed in time. The scheme has also triggered off private investment worth Rs 500 cr. in cold storage infrastructure. These figures signify that it is just the right time to invest and explore the potential of cold storage sector particularly in Western region of India. It has also been observed that Union Budget in 2011 has classified cold storages as infra to spur investment while SBI is likely to reduce interest rate on cold storage loans.
Exhibitor Profile: y
y
Pumps, Pre-insulated Piping ,Valves , Pipe Insulation, Water Treatment , Cooling Towers Products (Refrigeration) Cold Storages- Condensing Units, Unit Coolers, Walk-in Coolers, Insulation Material, Compressors, Racks, PUF Panels & Insulated Doors, Blast Freezer Panel Manufacturing Equipment, Loading Dock Equipment, Plate & Blast Freezers, Cold Rooms, Controlled Atmosphere Cold Rooms, Pre cooling Units, Transport Refrigeration, Insulated Door-all type Refrigeration Accessories,
y
y
Validation of Clean Room, Energy Simulation & Green Building Design Others, Indoor Air Quality Products, Clean Rooms & Allied Equipment , Testing & Balancing Instruments ,Geo Thermal VRF/ VRV Systems , Vibration Isolators , Duct & Pipe Supports , Air Curtains Temperature control and thermal insulation technology and equipment, recorders, test equipment, humidification & dehumidification equipment, low-temperature instruments.
y
Cold chain transport services -cold chain logistics technology and equipment: Refrigerated trucks, envelope, refrigeration locomotives, cars insulation, refrigeration boxes, and other cold storage materials, vehicle refrigeration units and components; cold storage and refrigerated transportation management systems, bar code technology and RFID technology, tracking and identification system, cold chain distribution and procurement systems, food safety tracing system
y
Data Loggers
y
Pest Control System
y
Weighing Systems
y
Lifts & Conveyors Systems
y
Accessories- Lino Bags, Racks, Pallets, Woven Sacks, Ventilation Systems etc.
Visitor Profile
Warehouse, Supply Chain and Logistics Heads from
Biotechnology Industry
following sectors:
Warehousing & Cold storage Consultants Supply chain & Logistics Companies
Dairy
Dairy Processed Food- Butter, Cheese, Ghee etc.
Building Consultant and Architects, Builders Cargo Companies
Ice Cream Manufacturers
Healthcare
Retail
& Pharmaceutical
Transporters Container Companies Freight Forwarders & Custom Agents
Shipping Companies providing end to end solutions
FMCG
Confectionary
Food & Food Processing
Indian Fruit and Vegetable Businesses, Orchards Exporters of Processed Fruits & Vegetables Exporters of Fruits & Vegetables Large format retailers and wholesalers
Agro Produce
Pesticides
Liquor & Wines
Beverages
Bulk Drugs
Seafood
Agro Products
Confectionary
Banks and Financial Institutions Packaging Service Providers Ports, Railways, Terminals & Airlines Government organizations Relevant Government Departments
Warehouse & Cold Storage Owners Supply chain consultants
Trade Bodies & Associations Laboratories/ Healthcare centers
