New Delhi, Jan 1 (IANS): A total of 1806 Kisan Rail trains on 153 routes, run by Indian Railways, have delivered more than 5.9 lakh tonnes of agricultural products across the country till December 24 since the start of the service in Agust, an official statement said on Saturday.

The Kisan Rail train services transport perishables and agri-products including milk, meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products. For perishable goods like vegetables and fruits, air-conditioned containers are being used.

Main crops or farm produce, transported via Kisan Rail trains, include oranges, onions, potatoes, bananas, mangoes, tomatoes, pomegranates, custard apples, capsicums, chikoos, carrots and more from the small villages to big cities and the farmers have now been getting a better price in comparison with the local sale.

The provision of the Kisan Rail was announced during the Union Budget, 2020-21 and it was launched for perishable items in September 2021. Kisan Rail transformed smaller stations into major farm produce loading hubs and enriched small and marginal farmers due to stoppages at small stations.

Smaller stations like Sangola, Jeur, Rahuri, Kopargaon, Yeola, Niphad have become major fruits and vegetable loading hubs.

The first Kisan Rail Service was flagged off between Maharashtra's Devlali and Bihar's Danapur on August 7, 2021 by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, and was further extended upto Muzaffarpur.

The transportation of fruits and vegetables by Kisan Rail are granted a subsidy of 50 per cent on the tariff chargeable, by Ministry of Food Processing and Industries, so that farmers can realise better value for their products.

As a result of good response from the farmers, its frequency was also increased from weekly to three days a week.