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Safeguarding India’s most critical goods: The technology imperative for an efficient & sustainable cold chain
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Tuesday, 19 August, 2025, 16 : 00 PM [IST]
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Jagadish Keswani
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In the last few years, global disruptions have brought new challenges and opportunities for India’s food supply chain. From production to the delivery of essential food items, farmers, supply chain operators and policymakers have accelerated their efforts to adopt sustainable strategies designed to protect critical goods throughout the cold chain.
India’s agricultural sector and food industry includes many perishable goods such as fruits, meat, seafood, dairy and grains. It remains a backbone of the economy, producing a significant share of the world’s food. Yet, alongside this abundance, a stark reality persists: a substantial portion of what is grown never reaches the consumer’s plate. Recent studies from NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) estimate that India loses agricultural produce worth a staggering $18.5 billion (?1.53 trillion) annually due to post-harvest inefficiencies. In another study by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 50% of food and crops spoil post-harvest due in part to the challenging climate and insufficient storage infrastructure. This translates to an estimated loss of nearly 74 million tonnes of food each year. The losses are particularly acute for highly perishable commodities like fruits and vegetables, which account for roughly $6.9 billion (?57,000 crore) of this total.
At the heart of this challenge is an underdeveloped and fragmented cold chain. While the cold chain market is growing rapidly at 10% CAGR annually, a significant infrastructure gap remains. A World Bank report indicates that India requires an additional 30 million tons of cold storage capacity to meet current demand. Millions of farmers still lack reliable refrigeration and cold storage, forcing them to sell quickly, often at distress prices, to avoid spoilage. Without modern cold chain and refrigeration systems, highly perishable items deteriorate rapidly, making it difficult to store or move them across long distances without significant loss in quality or quantity.
Smart Cold Chain System - The Backbone of Food Security
As the country strives to secure its food supply for a growing population, modernising the cold chain has emerged as one of the most critical frontiers in agriculture and food logistics. Between pre-cooling at the farm gate, precise temperature-controlled storage, real-time monitored transportation and cloud-connected systems, smart cold chain and refrigeration systems are transforming the management of perishable produce to avoid substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tied to landfill decomposition. By leveraging digital technologies, automation, energy-efficient and sustainable solutions, these systems help reduce post-harvest losses, maintain food quality and extend shelf life. Moreover, through real-time monitoring, data collection and reporting mechanisms, food retailers and distributors can secure end-to-end protection for refrigerated cargo, ensuring the preservation of their products throughout transportation.
Unprecedented environmental pressures, shifting climate patterns and evolving food safety standards have created a complex landscape for India’s food supply chain. Eventually, making the availability of a smart cold chain network vital to bridge the gap between abundant harvests and reliable food access for millions of households across urban and rural areas.
The Future-Forward Approach
To strengthen food security, we need a stewardship mindset that blends sustainable practices with modern technology. By developing strong cold chain systems and using smart digital solutions, everyone involved in the cold chain—from farmers to retailers—can better tackle supply chain challenges and ensure safe, nutritious food reaches every household on time.
(The author is president of India, Middle East & Africa at Copeland)
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