MULTI COMMODITIES COLD STORAGE

India is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world scenario but the availability of fruits and vegetables per capita is significantly low because of Post Harvest loses which account for about 25% to 30% of production. Further, the quality of sizeable quantity of produces also deteriorates the moment it reaches the consumer. This happens because of perishable nature of the products. If consumption is not getting stabilized, the farmers switch over to other crops instead of going for one crop in the subsequent year, and cycle continues. Our farmers continue to remain poor even though they take risk to cultivate high value fruits and vegetables year after year.

Cold Storage is a special kind of room, the temperature of, which is kept very low with the help of machines and precision instruments. India is having a unique geographical position and a wide range of soil thus producing variety of fruits and vegetables like apples, grapes, oranges, potatoes, chillies, ginger, etc. Marine products are also being produced in large quantities due to large coastal areas.

Introduction of Cold storage / Cold room facility will help them in removing the risk of distress sale and simultaneously will ensure better returns. The annual production of fruits and vegetables in the country accounts for 18 to 20% of our agriculture output. Varied agro climatic conditions and better availability of scientific package of practices, there is a vast scope for increasing the production. The lack of cold storage / cold room facilities is one of the main bottlenecks in tapping the potential.

The cold storages, which are available in the State, are mostly to store single commodity like potato, which results in poor capacity utilization. Introduction of cold storage/cold chain facilities in the State can prove to be a boon for the horticulture farmers.

Cold Storage Type – these type of cold stores are meant for storing different types fresh fruits and vegetables and other horticulture products which require pre-cooling or rapid room cooling to seven-eighth-cooling in a short time period of 4 hours to 24 hours depending on requirements in order to preserve there freshness, quality and self-life. The 7/8 cooling time is the time needed for the product temperature to drop by seven eighth of the difference between the initial product temperature at the time of loading and the temperature ofthe cooling air circulating in the cold rooms. In case of room cooling the fresh produce can be cooled and storedin the same room without the need of transfer but it requires that the rooms are properly designed withadequate refrigeration, air circulation and most importantly proper stacking and storage arrangement. Howeverfor much faster method of pre-cooling, in case the field heat is required to be removed from the freshproduce within 4 to 6 hours, forced-air cooling is adaptable to a wide range of commodity.

This allows the cold air to be in direct contract with the warm produce by moving it through the produce rather than aroundthe containers. Multi commodity cold stores are provided with multiple chambers enabling them to store a wide range of freshhorticulture products together with respect to the restore compability requirements for temperature, relativehumidity, and atmosphere, protection from odour and sensitivity to other gases like ethylene. The refrigerationsystem is designed to adjust and operate to a range of temperature and humidity conditions, depending on thecompatibility group for storage of fruits and vegetablesEfficiency and performance in such cold stores is linked to appropriate storage systems which greatly optimizespace, allows uniform air circulation through the produce and meets the fundamental requirements of stockrotation which is time sensitive due to limited shelf life. This becomes more important for the cold stores beingset up for the retail trade, export and food processing industry.

All fruits and vegetables require specialized post harvest treatment, appropriate temperature and relative humidity for their storage. Establishment of cold storage provides refrigerated storage and preservation facilities for several fruit & vegetables. Because of technology advancements and logistic strategies, the cold storage of perishable items has become an important stage in the distribution between manufacturers/processors and retail locations. The cold storage will ensure the increased availability and improved quality of high value perishable fruits and vegetables for both export and local sale, which would otherwise perish or deteriorate.

Cold storage is the one widely practiced method for bulk handling of the perishables between production and marketing processing. It is one of the methods of preserving perishable commodities in fresh and wholesome state for a longer period by controlling temperature and humidity within the storage system. Maintaining adequately low temperature is critical, as otherwise it will cause chilling injury to the produce. Also, relative humidity of the storeroom should be kept as high as 85-90 per cent for most of the perishables, below which has detrimental effect on keeping the quality of the produce.

Most fruits and vegetables have a very limited life after harvest if held at ambient harvesting temperatures. Post-harvest cooling rapidly removes field heat, allowing longer storage periods. Proper post-harvest cooling can:

• Reduce respiratory activity and degradation by enzymes;

• Reduce internal water loss and wilting;

• Slow or inhibit the growth of decay-producing microorganisms;

• Reduce the production of the natural ripening agent, ethylene.

In addition to help maintaining quality, post-harvest cooling also provides marketing flexibility by allowing the grower to sell produce at the most appropriate time. Having cooling and storage facilities makes it unnecessary to market the produce immediately after harvest. This can be an advantage to growers who supply restaurants and grocery stores or to small growers who want to assemble truckload lots for shipment. Post-harvest cooling is essential for delivering produce of the highest possible quality to the consumer. Cold storage can be combined with storage in an environment with addition of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide (in case of grapes) nitrogen, etc. according to the nature of product to be preserved. The cold storage of dried or dehydrated vegetables can be successfully carried out for a storage time of more than one year at 0°-10°C with a relative humidity of 80-95 per cent.

The cold storage of perishables has advanced noticeably in recent years, leading to better maintenance of organoleptic qualities, reduced spoilage, and longer shelf lives. These advances have resulted from joint action by physiologists to determine the requirements of fruit and vegetables, and by refrigerating specialists to design and run refrigerating machines accordingly.

Care should be taken to store only, those kinds, which does not show in compatibility of storage, when storing multi-produce in the same room. For example, apple can be stored with grapes, oranges, peaches, and plums and not with banana. However, with potato and cabbage slight danger of cross actions can occur. Contrary to this, grape in compatible to all other vegetables except cabbage. To resolve the incompatibility during cold storage, foodstuffs are grouped into three temperature ranges

Based on their thermal incompatibility the produce is classified into:

• Most perishable products, not sensitive to cold (0-4°C)

• e.g. Apple, grape, carrot and onion

• Vegetable produce moderately sensitive to cold (4-8°C)

• e.g. Mango, orange, potato and tomato (ripened)

• Vegetable produce sensitive to cold (>8°C)

• e.g. Pineapple, banana, pumpkin and lady finger

Based on the purpose, the present day cold stores are classified into following groups:
Bulk cold stores: Generally, for storage of a single commodity which mostly operates on a seasonal basis e.g.: stores for potatoes, chilies, apples etc.

Multi-purpose cold stores: It is designed for storage of variety of commodities, which operate practically, throughout the year.

Small cold stores: It is designed with pre-cooling facilities. For fresh fruits and vegetables, mainly for export-oriented items like grapes etc.

Pre-cooling Techniques

Frozen food stores: It is designed for with (or) without processing and freezing facilities for fish, meat, poultry, dairy products and processed fruits and vegetables.

Mini units or walk in cold stores: It is located at distribution center etc.

Controlled atmosphere (CA) stores: It is mainly designed for certain fruits and vegetables

This project is designed for storing of multiple products, stored in different compartments of the unit, where relative temperatures for respective products can be maintained. The major clientele of this business will be the ministry of Manipur. The project will further aim at storing fruits & vegetables even during off-seasons. The project will ultimately assist the clientele in maintaining market price equilibrium throughout the year for potatoes.