New Delhi, Dec 19 (UNI) Public sector lender Punjab National Bank (PNB) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federation of Cold Storage Associations of India to boost agricultural infrastructure and cold chain development across the country.

Through this strategic collaboration, PNB aims to drive substantial business growth while reinforcing its commitment to empowering the agricultural community and enhancing India’s agricultural value chain, it said in a release.

The MoU was exchanged during an event held in New Delhi, marking a significant milestone in reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing agricultural value chains in India.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Atul Kumar Goel, MD & CEO of PNB, highlighted the critical need for modern storage infrastructure to transform Indian agriculture. He stressed the importance of cold storage facilities in addressing post-harvest losses and ensuring better price realisation for farmers, thereby fostering economic growth in rural areas.

Mr Kalyan Kumar, Executive Director of PNB, emphasised the pivotal role of cold chain infrastructure in creating a sustainable and efficient ecosystem for farmers and agribusinesses. He noted that seamless cold chain solutions would not only enhance value addition but also improve the movement of agricultural produce to markets.

Commenting on the collaboration, Mr Mukesh Aggarwal, President of the Federation of Cold Storage Associations of India, stated, “This partnership will significantly improve the fortunes of the farming community by enabling access to state-of-the-art storage and logistics solutions.”

This MoU represents a strong step forward in fostering innovation, modernising agricultural infrastructure, and ensuring that farmers and agribusinesses have access to efficient storage and cold chain solutions, the release added.

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