Cold storage: what is its importance in agriculture?

The varied seasons in any location make cold storage a much-demanded facility in the agriculture sector. The governments are also implementing several schemes to make the agriculture sector self-reliant using advanced technologies and concepts like cold storage. It has proved beneficial in bulk handling perishable goods by controlling different parameters, including temperature and humidity. Cold storage is required to maintain the optimum nutrition in vegetables and fruits.

Problems in the Agriculture Sector

Tons of food get wasted in the transfer of agricultural output from the farms to the processing units. Different weather and storage conditions harm agricultural yields. The humidity in the storage areas spoils the crops. It gives way to microorganisms that act as spoilage agents. A considerable amount of produce requires some specific atmospheric conditions to stay in its best shape. Cold storage can be a one-stop solution to preserve diverse agricultural yields and make them available to the end consumer in the best condition. To summarize, cold storage facilities are used in the agricultural industry to minimize post-harvest losses.

Benefits of Cold Storage

• 1. Longer shelf life of fruits and vegetables

  Warehouse refrigeration stores agricultural yields in controlled atmospheric conditions with the regulated inflow of gases, including Oxygen, Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen, and Carbon Dioxide. This is specifically beneficial for storing seasonal fruits for them to last longer.

• 2. Temperature control

  Different types of vegetables and fruits are kept under regulated temperature to ensure that every variety stays fresh for the longest time. In addition, the customized temperature controls in cold storage refrigerators can be monitored and controlled.

• 3. Cost-efficiency

  Less food wastage directly reduces the losses and proves to be very cost-effective. Cold storage in the food sector is an evolving field where new technologies keep coming up now and then. Many hard storage manufacturers in India offer Gas-controlled storage, one of the latest technologies where the pressure can be as low as 0.8b bar to save the energy invested in operating cold storage.

• 4. Effective Transportation

  Portable cold storage units have been created to transfer agricultural yields from storage facilities to distribution centers and shops. In addition, many products may suffer from slight temperature changes in long-distance transportation. Cold storage takes care of all these aspects.

• 5. Space efficiency

  Cold storage warehouses have emerged as a one-stop solution to store perishable agricultural yields in bulk before they head toward distribution centers. One location for storing all the products helps inventory management, leading to better sales and purchases.

Conclusion

Cold storage has become an essential requirement in the agricultural sector. Cold storage manufacturing is progressing further with new technologies. We can now witness the implementation of integrated cold chains where cold storage refrigeration is implemented across the supply chain from transportation to retail display infrastructure. With cold chain infrastructure, every economy can progress to become self-reliant. Contact a cold storage manufacturer today to reap maximum benefits from your agricultural yields and stay cost-effective.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. What is the purpose of cold storage?

A. Cold storage is the most effective space for bulk handling perishable goods, especially fruits and vegetables, between production and marketing. It is used to preserve such commodities in a fresh state by controlling various gases, maintaining adequate temperature and humidity within the storage system.

Q2. What Are The Benefits Of A Cold Storage System?

A. The technological advancements in cold storage have significantly helped the cold storage companies in India increase its profits by reducing wastage by manifolds.

Q3. Where can cold rooms be installed?

A. They can practically be installed anywhere, although some locations will be better than most.