29 Aug 2013|Noida | Amity University Campus, Sector-125 Noida
There will be shortage of food for almost 9 billion people soon”, avers scientists during Post Harvest Management of Fruits & Vegetables Conference at Amity University
InIndia where 30-40% of fruits and vegetables are perished due to lack of properhandling after harvest especially during storage and transportation, there is aneed to have more awareness on post harvest technology and cold chainmanagement. To address the issue, Amity International Centre for Post HarvestTechnology & Cold Chain Management organised a conference on Post HarvestTechnology & Cold Chain Management at Amity University Campus, Sector-125Noida.
Dr.Elizabeth Mitcham, Director – Horticulture CollaborativeResearch Support Program, University of California, Davis – USA; Mr. GokulPatnaik, Chairman - Global Agri System Pvt. Ltd; Dr. R.K. Sharma,Director – National Horticulture Board; Dr. Pawaneshxh. Kohli, ChiefAdvisor - National Centre for Cold Chain Management; Dr. Sukhvinder PalSingh, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute – Mohali; Dr. Ashok K.Chauhan, Founder President – Amity University; Dr. Sunil Saran,Chairman, AICPHT&CCM inaugurated the conference.
Dr.Elizabeth Mitcham, Director – Horticulture CollaborativeResearch Support Program, University of California, Davis – USA saidthat post harvest technology is incredibly important for present time. Verysoon, there will be no food available for 9 billion people around the worldtherefore we have to work towards post harvest technology to control the lossesincurred during the farm to market stage. Dr. Mitcham said that temperaturecontrol is the most important thing in post harvest technology. Dr. Mitchamalso talked about post harvest biology, which includes slowing the metabolicrates of farm products, identifying & decreasing the various diseases ofproduct and to increase the life cycle of product.
Duringthe occasion Dr. Elizabeth Mitcham and Dr. Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President– Amity Group inaugurated the unique Zero energy CoolBot Cool Room which canpreserve the farm products without using any energy for months.
Mr.Gokul Patnaik, Chairman - Global Agri System Pvt. Ltdsaid that Cold Chain is important aspect of preserving the farm products and itis very crucial for India because our country is worst sufferer of foodwastage. India waste more food than the complete food produced by Australia.Mr. Patnaik said that in India only 23 million tonne of cold storage capacityis available whereas around 60 million tonne of capacity is needed, but allthese facilities require money and power. While praising about the Coolbot coolroom set up at Amity, Mr. Patnaik said that this innovative technology isneeded for entire country because it costs very less and saves precious energy.
Dr.Ashok K. Chauhan, Founder President – Amity Universitysaid that post harvest technology can solve most of the food problems of ourcountry. Around 30-40% of food is wasted from farm to fork. If this can bereduced than even Food Security Bill will not be required. Speaking about thenewly inaugurated Coolbot Cool room, Dr. Chauhan said that this is very uniqueinnovation in which farmers can preserve their harvest without using anymechanical or electrical energy by using a chamber made up of mud and bricks inwhich no polyethylene is used.
Dr.Pawaneshxh Kohli, Chief Advisor - National Centre forCold Chain Management said that cold chain management is used basically toextend the shelf life of end product and utilize that time to reach the marketor to cover the distance travelled. In India, 80% of cold storage are designedaround for one single crop i.e. potato. Cold chain allows farmers to extend thelife stage of farm product and then providing opportunity to open up themarket. Dr. Kohli stated that cold chain system includes post harvest,packaging conditioning, making buffer stock and moving it to market. Dr. Kohlisaid that future of India is in rural India which should be the source marketand urban India should look up to rural India for the farm products.
Studentsand Senior officials of Amity University were present during the occasion.