Pakistan loses billions of rupees every year due to unsuitable or irregular storage facilities in the country - a glaring example being that of 2010-11 floods when about three million tons of grain was destroyed and country suffered a loss of US $3.27 billion, according to figures collected from different sources.
Stakeholders told Business Recorder here on Thursday that federal and provincial governments faced huge financial loss every year in monsoon season due to absence of proper storage facility for wheat and other grains. Besides the losses of 2010-11, in 2013 also 3,000 tons of grain has been destroyed so far on account of improper storage facility, non supply of empty bags, lack of transportation, and slow uplift from Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco). Estimated monetary value is at US $1.1 million. The loss is expected to increase to multimillion dollars by the end of this year if the government does not pay attention and take precautionary measures to build proper storage facilities across the country.
Rains and flood cause huge losses due to non-availability of storage facilities in Sindh especially in the port area where imported urea could be stored for local consumption and additional wheat after meeting local needs could also be exported without any waste of large transportation exercise.
"Sizeable amount of grain get flawed on account of inadequate and poor storage facilities," admitted an official in the Sindh Food Department and suggested that, "the loss could be reduced by improving the condition of existing storage facilities and building modern storage facilities. Tons of wheat packed in jute bags stored in go-downs located in Hawksbay and other parts of the country which were damaged due to criminal negligence of local authorities, pilferage and heavy rains," he said.
Stakeholders further said that food grain storage was a sensitive problem for the farmers, grain merchants and was a serious issue for the government all over the country for safe storage under hygienic conditions. Increase in the production of major commodities like wheat, rice, cotton and oilseeds of traditional and non-traditional varieties have thrown dramatic service problems of retention for long period. The existing storage facilities available are insufficient at various levels to cater to large increase in production.
"Storage of wheat and rice and seeds of pulses and oilseed crops due to food value is important. There are seed hazards which occur due to poor storage facilities. Wheat is only a grain crop that is produced with low-cost technology due to minimum use of pesticides except the inputs such as seed, fertiliser and farm machinery etc. While crops like rice, cotton and sugarcane are cost effective and need proper care for handling and storage. Thus, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of wheat and other food and cash crops, such as rice, sugarcane and cotton, oilseeds and pulses had to be stored in temporary facilities that afforded inadequate protection and pilferage," they said.
They further revealed that grain storage was primarily in the public sector and was the responsibility of Passco as well as four provincial food departments. Passco and the provincial departments are also responsible for regulation of agricultural commodity markets and for activities of provincial seed and fertiliser storage agencies.
They suggested that in order to increase the storage life of wheat, foremost priority was to be given to store it in go-downs or silos scientifically constructed having proper light and temperature arrangements. Presently, in Pakistan, proper storage facilities (both in the public and private sectors) are far below the requirements and the faulty arrangements in the public sector are available mainly for wheat, rice and cotton.
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