India, a leading producer of essential commodities such as paddy, wheat, oilseeds, milk, fish, fruits, and vegetables, encounters substantial post-harvest losses, exceeding global standards. This phenomenon adversely affects overall yields and inflicts financial losses on farmers. A 2022 study by Nabard reveals that post-harvest vegetable losses range between 4.87%-11.61%, while fruit losses span 6.02%-15.05%.
Image: Facebook.
Efforts to mitigate these losses at the farm level are ongoing, with the introduction of advanced cooling technology by the Israeli startup, Natural Offset Farming (NOF), marking a potential turning point. NOF's patented technology employs liquid CO2 to offer a cooling-as-service model to farmers, promising an energy-efficient solution that operates independently of electricity.
Yoni Ben Zaken, NOF's co-founder, highlights the device's capacity to treat 500 kg, 200 kg, or 100 kg of produce, attracting interest from major retailers. NOF has initiated deployments in Maharashtra and Haryana, demonstrating success with various crops and engaging with entities like Mother Dairy to extend produce shelf life, notably apricots from Leh. The technology has reportedly extended the shelf life of strawberries in Maharashtra's Satara district from 2–3 days to 7–8 days, showcasing its potential to enhance yield efficiency. Priced at `12,000, the cooling device is tailored for Indian smallholder farmers, according to Zaken.
Source: financialexpress.com