Although cold storage capacity of over 30 million tonnes has been created in the country, the
concept of cold-chain is still in its infancy in India. Considering the fact that India is producing
about 270 million tonnes of horticulture produce every year, the development of cold-chain
networks assumes high priority. Owing to the tremendous pressure on improving supply chain
and reducing losses during produce handling and movement, the need for creation of a cold
chain network is crucial for perishable food commodities.
Regionally, the existing cold storage capacity is concentrated in terms of both number and
capacity in the northern region. Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal contain over 65 percent of the
cold storage units in the country and the rest are spread across India.