Farmers in Golaghat Demand Modern Cold Storage Facilities

Farmers in Golaghat district are facing significant losses due to the lack of modern cold storage facilities for their agricultural products, particularly tomatoes. With many crops spoiling, they are seeking compensation and urging the government to establish new cold storage units. Historical attempts to create viable storage solutions have failed, leaving farmers frustrated. They are now appealing to the Agriculture Minister for support to ensure their hard work is valued. This situation highlights the urgent need for infrastructure improvements in the region to protect farmers' livelihoods.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 5, 2026, 09:35 IST

Urgent Need for Cold Storage in Golaghat

DERGAON, June 5: Farmers in the Golaghat district are urgently calling for the establishment of modern cold storage facilities to preserve their agricultural produce. The lack of such facilities has led to significant losses, particularly with tomatoes spoiling in the Sarupathar and Dergaon regions.

These struggling farmers are now seeking compensation for the damages incurred to their tomato crops this season.

In Golaghat, two cold storage units were previously established: one in Dergaon, operated by a private entity, and another in Furkating, intended for government operation by the marketing board from 2010 to 2015. However, the Dergaon facility only functioned for three years, primarily for potato storage, while the Furkating unit was never opened due to technical issues.

Pradip Khadria, the original owner of Balaji Cold Storage in Ekorani, shared insights with this correspondent, emphasizing that successful cold storage operations must be government-led and should integrate a systematic marketing chain connecting agricultural producers with buyers.

Khadria reminisced about the inception of Balaji Cold Storage, noting that the absence of traders forced him to purchase potatoes himself, which hindered the facility from reaching its full capacity of 40,000 quintals. He also mentioned challenges in storing tomatoes, as they could not maintain their natural color due to specific technical requirements.

After suffering business losses, Khadria sold the facility to a Sivasagar businessman in 2010, who subsequently abandoned it after just one year of operation.

Khadria pointed out that Dr. Ravi Kota, the current chief secretary of Assam, had previously attempted to position Dergaon as a potato hub by providing additional resources to the Golaghat agriculture department, but these efforts did not materialize.

Farmers from the greater Brahmaputra region, particularly in the Bokakhat LAC and Sarupathar areas, have appealed to Agriculture Minister Atul Bora to establish at least two cold storage units to ensure that those cultivating potatoes, tomatoes, and other crops receive fair compensation for their labor.