NT Reporter
Panaji
Goa has built cold storage capacity far exceeding its assessed requirement, even as it remains a minor contributor to the country’s overall cold chain infrastructure with official figures showing that Goa currently has 29 cold storage units with a total capacity of 7,705 metric
tonnes (MT).
In contrast, the state’s requirement was estimated at just 2,271 MT in a 2014 assessment by NABCONS.
A cold storage facility is a temperature-controlled warehouse used to preserve perishable goods for longer periods. It works like a large industrial refrigerator or freezer, maintaining specific temperature ranges to slow down spoilage and bacterial growth.
These facilities store items such as fruits, vegetables, fish, meat, dairy products, medicines, and flowers. Cold storage plays a crucial role in reducing post-harvest losses, ensuring food safety, and maintaining quality.
The data from the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, pointed out that Goa has achieved over 339 per cent of its projected requirement, creating a surplus of 5,434 MT—one of the highest proportional surpluses in the country.
However, in absolute terms, the state’s footprint remains small. Goa accounts for only 0.33 per cent of India’s cold storage units and about 0.02 per cent of total national capacity, which stands at over 4.02 crore MT across 8,831 facilities.
In comparison, larger states dominate the sector. Uttar Pradesh leads with more than 1.51 crore MT capacity, followed by West Bengal and Gujarat, each with several million tonnes of storage.
While India overall shows a surplus over the estimated requirement of 3.51 crore MT, experts point to uneven distribution and varying utilisation levels. In Goa’s case, the surplus reflects its limited agricultural base, with demand largely confined to fisheries, horticulture and pharmaceuticals.
The key challenge for the state now lies in the optimal utilisation of existing infrastructure, strengthening supply chains, and linking cold storage facilities with export-oriented sectors to prevent underuse and improve returns.
