Hyderabad: Telangana will add another five lakh metric tonnes of warehousing capacity over the next two years to strengthen scientific storage facilities for farmers, agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said on Wednesday.Reviewing the functioning of the Telangana State Warehousing Corporation (TGSWC), Markfed and HACA at the secretariat, the minister directed officials to prepare a comprehensive district-wise assessment of warehouse requirements for the next 20 years and align future construction plans accordingly.He also asked officials to adopt scientific storage practices to prevent deterioration in the quality of commodities and urged govt corporations to reduce interest liabilities while improving their financial health by expanding revenue streams.The minister said TGSWC currently owns 52 warehouses with a combined storage capacity of around six lakh metric tonnes. With occupancy exceeding 104%, the corporation is presently storing nearly 6.33 lakh metric tonnes of agricultural produce.Including facilities operated by agricultural market committees, private investors and rented warehouses under the PEG scheme, the corporation is utilising 524 warehouses across the state.To meet rising demand, the state is constructing 48 new warehouses in phases. The first phase, comprising 17 warehouses, is expected to be completed by Jan 2027, adding 2.12 lakh metric tonnes of storage capacity. The remaining 31 warehouses, scheduled for completion by Dec 2028, will add another 3.66 lakh metric tonnes.The minister said proposals are also being prepared for 32 additional warehouses with a combined storage capacity of 3.25 lakh metric tonnes, taking the state’s planned warehousing capacity to around 15 lakh metric tonnes.Tummala directed officials to install solar panels on all new warehouses to meet their electricity requirements and generate additional revenue by selling surplus power to the grid. He asked them to prepare an action plan in coordination with REDCO.He also suggested bringing warehouses operated by Markfed, HACA, the marketing department and the TGSWC under a common coordination mechanism to improve utilisation and reduce operational costs.
