Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu Highlights Cold Chain Logistics to Boost Telangana’s Economy

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], September 20: Minister Duddilla Sridhar Babu emphasized the importance of cold chain logistics in enhancing Telangana’s economy during the ‘Cold Chain Unbroken 2024’ conference in Hyderabad. He stated, ‘We want to scale up our economy in a big way. We want to leap and grow our economy to the next level.’

The Minister discussed the significance of improving packaging and logistics in supply chain management. ‘In this supply chain management, the packaging cold chain and new advancements in technology become crucial factors, providing a lot of impetus to these packaging solutions. We will leverage the new solutions available in terms of our logistics and packaging. We would like to scale it up,’ he added.

Babu reassured participants that the government is committed to supporting startups and innovation in packaging solutions. ‘We are here to create confidence among manufacturers that this government will support startups and innovations in packaging solutions. We aim to provide them with the best technology available to ensure they grow along with our state.’

When asked about the government’s Center of Excellence for cold chain logistics, Babu responded, ‘The Centre of Excellence was not adequately taken up by the erstwhile government. We are currently discussing with our officers and associations, like the Cold Chain Unbroken Association, to see how we can scale it up and make the Centre of Excellence a platform for innovations and startups to introduce new technologies.’

The event brought together industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to focus on sustainable innovations and resilience in cold chain management. The conference attracted over 350 delegates from more than 20 countries and showcased the latest advancements in cold chain technology. It highlighted the critical role of cold chain logistics in reducing global food waste, which is estimated to be 14 percent of total food production.

Satish Lakkaraju, Chairman of Cold Chain Unbroken 2024, explained the importance of the event. ‘It’s already announced in the magazine a year in advance so that people can plan. As the country grows, the need to spread knowledge on this subject, which very few people understand, also grows. To attract good speakers, planning must begin one year in advance.’

Lakkaraju shared his personal experience that led him to focus on cold chain issues. ‘I lived in South Africa for many years. In 2012, when my mother fell sick, we realised that our ICU wasn’t sanitised properly. People’s awareness about medicine and its transportation was zero. In India, awareness of how to store medicine remains a major challenge.’

He defined cold chain in simple terms: ‘Cold chain is basically the right temperature for any product during transport. If the temperature goes too high or too low, it damages the product. For example, vaccines must be stored between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius. If they drop to zero, they become ineffective.’

Regarding the growth of the cold chain industry in India, Lakkaraju said that the need for effective cold chain solutions has increased, especially due to climate change. ‘The Indian cold chain industry is projected to reach a five lakh crore margin by 2030. Our food habits and disposable incomes have changed, leading to an increased demand for cold storage.’