Voltas in pact with Dutch company

Voltas has tied up with the Netherlands-based Besseling group to deliver turnkey solutions to store horticulture produce in a controlled atmosphere (CA) or in the ultra-low-oxygen (ULO) category. The company will be the sole representative of Besseling in India.

The size of the storage solutions market in India is estimated at Rs 5,000 crore. Voltas plans to target this market and has already bagged several projects, including Adani project, international flower auction sector in Bangalore, Abhirami in Chennai and Jaya Cold Storage in Tamil Nadu.

Ravin Sanghavi, AGM - new business (AC&R), Voltas, said, "The Besseling-Voltas offer is the best post-harvest solution for long-term storage of fruits and vegetables."

Added Eric van Der Zwet, sales manager, Besseling, "Our strategic alliance is committed to the success of effective post-harvest management in India," he added.

Considering India is an agrarian economy, opportunity for the post-harvest solution is huge. Changing consumer lifestyle and growth of organised retail market along with favourable government legislations provide further impetus to the growth.

Over the past decade, Voltas has extended its activities in the field of cold storages and process refrigeration through a focused group, which has taken up turnkey projects involving design and building of the post-harvest management system for horticulture produce. Besseling is into the CA and ULO category for 25 years.