February 12, 2019
India’s 1st solar-powered temp-controlled warehouse inaugurated in Singur
India’s first-of-its-kind solar energy-powered, temperature-controlled warehouse was inaugurated recently in Singur in Hooghly district, at the Tapasi Malik Krishak Bazaar. It was inaugurated by the Industry Minister, Dr Amit Mitra.
Being temperature-controlled, the perfect temperature for preserving various products can be maintained. And being run by solar power, the warehouse would be self-charging.
The warehouse would preserve 30 tonne of vegetables per day by consuming 90,000 units of environment-friendly solar electricity per year and thus saving Rs 6.75 lakh worth of grid power. The warehouse would maintain a temperature between 18 and 30 degree centigrade.
Dr Mitra said that this would be a new solution to agriculture, where vegetables would be preserved fresh for at least seven days, fetching good prices for farmers.
A Japanese company has built it, with funding from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The State Government will take it over and make it the Singur hub for its agri-retail chain, Sufal Bangla. The Japanese company will maintain the warehouse for a fee.
The company has planned to build a total of 100 such warehouses in the State, at Krishak Bazaars, at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crore. They would be used exclusively by Sufal Bangla, Dr Mitra said.
The next three are coming up in north Bengal, at the Krishak Bazaars in Bagdogra and Phansidewa in Darjeeling district and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri district.
The president of the Japanese company which built the warehouse said that Bangla has a huge potential in this regard as the government has been proactive in modernising its farmers’ markets (Krishak Bazaars) across the State.
The Sufal Bangla retail chain has already reduced agricultural loss to 10 per cent of the total production from a level 25 to 30 per cent. By purchasing directly from farmers, and thus eliminating middlemen, it has also helped them realise much better prices.
Source: Financial Express
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