Post NewsNetwork
Bhubaneswar, June 1: After it learned the hard way from potato crisis that hit the state for the past two years, the state government has decided to set up 35 fresh cold storages during the current financial year.
Under the State Potato Mission, the government will set up 112 cold storages in coming three years out of which 35 would come up in this budget year in all districts excluding Bhadrak.
Three cold storages would come up in Cuttack district while two each will be set up in Balasore, Kandhamal, Koraput and Mayurbhanj districts. Each store will have a capacity of 5000MT.
The government had launched the potato mission in December to meet the growing tuber needs in the state. The mission will be in operation for eight years.
To encourage new players, the government announced a capital investment subsidy of 55 per cent to set up such stores in general areas while it would go up to 70 per cent in scheduled areas.
The government would also provide subsidy in power tariff to both new and existing cold storages for six years. While 50 per cent of the electricity bills would be provided for the first two years, it would come down to 30 per cent in next two years and 20 per cent in subsequent two years. Existing cold storages and those set up by March 2018 could avail the sops.
The assistance will be available to individuals, groups of farmers, growers, consumers, partnership and proprietor firms, self help groups, farmer outfits, companies, corporations, co-operatives, co-operative marketing federations, local bodies and other state government organizations and registered societies.
Around two acres of land will be required for establishment of a 5000 MT capacity cold storage and the cost of land will be restricted to 15 per cent of the project cost in rural areas while it will be 20 per cent in urban areas.
Meanwhile, the horticulture department approached the industrial infrastructure development corporation (Idco) to rope in industrial houses to set up the cold storages. The state produces nearly 2 lakh MT of potatoes against its demand of 11 lakh MT.