Haryana inks MoU with UK University for advanced cold chain centre

Chandigarh: The Haryana government has signed an agreement with the University of Birmingham to set up a Haryana-UK Centre of Excellence for sustainable post-harvest crop management and cold chain for horticulture produces. This state-of-the-art centre, to be established in Panchkula, aims to reduce post-harvest losses while maintaining the freshness and quality of fruits and vegetables. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Agriculture Minister Shyam Singh Rana.

Chief Minister Saini highlighted that Haryana, known as the food bowl of India, is expanding its horticulture sector. Effective cold chain management is crucial to minimize losses and ensure better returns for farmers.

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The centre will serve as a research and testing hub for improving post-harvest management of horticultural crops. It will also benefit students and researchers from CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, and Maharana Pratap Horticulture University, Karnal, by providing testing and research facilities.

Key objectives of the centre include: Reducing post-harvest losses through guidelines and protocols, developing cold chain innovations and providing testing facilities, supporting tech startups with incubation for cold chain technologies, promoting sustainable practices through research on energy-efficient solutions, creating a national framework for post-harvest management and cold chain development

This initiative is expected to boost Haryana’s agricultural economy by reducing waste, improving quality, and supporting farmers.