The arrival of wheat in the mandis of Punjab is in the full swing with 66 lakh tonne of crop having already reached the grain markets, but the state government hardly has any covered space for storage of the produce.
The entire 135 lakh tonne of wheat expected to be procured this season will go for storage in open over the plinths as the godowns in the state are brimming with rice and wheat of the previous seasons.
The produce will be vulnerable to damage as it will be exposed to the vagaries of weather for being stored under the open sky.
As per the norms of Food Corporation of India (FCI), the central agency for movement of foodgrains for public distribution system (PDS) in the entire country, wheat kept in CAP (covered area plinth) storage rots three times faster than wheat stored in covered godowns.
The FCI’s policy recommends shifting of wheat kept in CAP storage within six months and that of covered godowns within two years. Wheat stored in silos (steel containers) has shelf life for over three years.
The state godowns are brimming with rice and wheat despite the fact that the movement of foodgrains from Punjab to recipient states is going on at a fast pace amid the lockdown imposed in the country in the last week of March in the wake of Covid-9 outbreak.
{{/usCountry}}The state godowns are brimming with rice and wheat despite the fact that the movement of foodgrains from Punjab to recipient states is going on at a fast pace amid the lockdown imposed in the country in the last week of March in the wake of Covid-9 outbreak.
{{/usCountry}}Everyday 15 to 50 goods trains chug into the state to transport foodgrains to the recipient states. Taking the daily average of trains at 30, around 75,000 tonne of foodgrains are moved out on daily basis.
During the past 35 days, around 20 lakh tonne wheat and rice have been moved out of state, but still the state has not sufficient space to accommodate the arrivals of the current season.
Due to lack of sufficient space, wheat would go for storage in rice shelling mils and the mandis which have covered sheds.
As per figures procured from the state food and civil supplies department, 102 lakh tonne rice is currently stored in covered godowns. Besides, 70 lakh tonne wheat of the previous two rabi seasons (2018 and 2019).
Also, the 40 lakh tonne paddy, which is under processing and will yield at least 26 lakh tonne more rice, will be stored in the godowns.
‘ALTERNATIVE SPACE FOR STORAGE IDENTIFIED’
Additional chief secretary Viswajeet Khanna, head of the state committee on harvest and procurement, said alternative space for wheat storage has been identified and the stacking of foodgrains has started.
Meanwhile, 20 lakh tonne wheat of the current season has already landed in the CAP storage.
Currently, there is 155 lakh tonne storage capacity in covered godowns in Punjab, in which the state agencies store 10% more than the capacity. The CAP storage capacity in the state is 100 lakh tonne where silos have 5.75 lakh tonne capacity. A move to create more storage of 33.5 lakh tonne in the state was stalled due to the countrywide lockdown.