Punjab: Wooden crates in short supply, storage of wheat in open an uphill task for agencies
By Ruchika M Khanna
State agencies are now facing a challenge in storing wheat even in the open when the procurement season kicks in next month amid a drastic shortfall in wooden crates needed for the purpose, according to sources.
This has come at a time when the state agencies that procure foodgrain on behalf of the Food Corporation of India are struggling with a paucity of indoor space as warehouses are still full of foodgrain procured last year.
Due to the space crunch, the state agencies have been forced to opt for covered and plinth (CAP) storage.
According to estimates, over 120 lakh metric tonne (MT) wheat is expected to arrive in the state’s grain markets next month, with the official procurement season set to begin on April 1.
A source said the government could manage to get the supply of only 2 lakh units of wooden crates this time due to stringent conditions imposed by the Department of Food and Civil Supplies.
The tough requirements imposed by the department weaned away a large number of suppliers, who earlier used to supply poor quality crates.
The state government had earlier floated a tender for the supply of 8 lakh crates, with a rider that the government can conduct their physical verification for meeting specifications even after grains have been stacked on them.
As a result, the government received bids for only 2 lakh crates, the source said. The source said though the government is set float another tender for 6 lakh wooden crates, it would take time to fructify. The tough measures opted by the government for the purchase of wooden crates were the result of the supply of around 30 lakh poor-quality crates between 2018-2021 under the previous Congress government.An investigation was ordered into the purchase in November 2022 by the current Aam Aadmi Party government.
A random physical verification of the crates by the Vigilance then had revealed that a majority of the crates weighed half the specified weight and were not made of hard wood as required. Their size was also smaller when compared with the specified requirement.
A senior official in the Food and Civil Supplies Department told The Tribune that now they have decided to use old crates for another year. The officer said they have also asked district food and supplies officers to store wheat in rice shellers by taking on rent wooden crates from them at Rs 7 per month per crate.
“Officials have been asked to get the crates repaired at a maximum cost of Rs 84 per crate,” said the official.
This article has been republished from The Tribune.