Soon the cold storage in Koyambedu to get makeover
Posted on: 12/May/2018 7:26:42 PM
Soon people in Chennai city would wake up to the news of reduced prices of vegetables and fruits in the popular Koyambedu market. The reason for this is the government cold storage unit in Koyambedu would get makeover soon. This was confirmed by the officials belonging to Tanfed or Tamil Nadu Cooperative Marketing Federation Ltd.
It was way back in the year 1994 this cold storage was first established in Koyambedu. It is now brought out that this would be first time it is getting renovated since 1994. The makeover of the cold storage in Koyambedu would cost an amount of Rs 2.15 crores.
A Tanfed official later spoke about how the capacity of this cold storage in Koyambedu would decrease by 200 to 300 metric tonnes. The original capacity of this cold storage unit in Koyambedu is 2500 metric tonnes.
One important point to note is the cold storage would have provision to set different temperatures for different types of commodities and that would be tremendous. This official further highlighted that cold storage unit would run of ammonia refrigeration. This is very safe though it is an old technology. Longer shelf life of the commodities would be possible by keeping them at different temperatures. It must be noted that white apple requires 2 degrees Celsius but green chillies would require 10 degrees Celsius.
On the Poonamalle High Road the vendors employed personal mini cold storage units in their own shops is known. It was mainly due to poor maintenance of the cold storage unit in Koyambedu.
To store one kg of vegetable or fruit a vendor has to spend Rs 25 to Rs 30 and as much as 1000 kg of fruits and vegetables were stored by vendors usually.
The good news now is once the cold storage in Koyambedu opens these vendors would be able to save at least Rs30,000 per product and that would be amazing. A fruit vendor in Koyambedu market spoke about how the prices would come down soon.
It must not be forgotten that a rule by the Collector caught the attention of many and it said the structure of the shops in Koyambedu cannot be changed or altered by setting up cold storage units and they must be shut down immediately. Protests by many workers regarding poor maintenance of cold storage facility had led to this cold storage now getting renovated.
Now this makeover of cold storage in Koyambedu has come after the collector’s above mentioned rule. Earlier dry coriander seeds plus red chillies were also kept inside this cold storage but now vendors want only perishable goods to be kept inside this unit in Koyambedu. For this purpose the vendors have suggested the authorities belonging to Tanfed.
