249 tonnes of foodgrains damaged due to rains in 2011-12

NEW DELHI: As much as 249 tonnes of wheat and rice were damaged due to rains in 2011-12 fiscal, Parliament was informed today.

" FCI has reported that 212 tonnes of wheat in Maharashtra and 37 tonnes of rice in Punjab has accrued as damaged/ non-issuable due to rains/floods during 2011-12," Food Minister K V Thomas said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha.

The minister said a total of 3,338.01 tonnes of foodgrains got damaged due to various reasons such as pest attack and godowns leakage, in 2011-12. The same was 6,346 tonnes in the previous year.

Giving region-wise break-up, he said the maximum damage quantity in 2011-12 was recorded in Maharashtra at 1473 tonnes followed by West Bengal (477 tonnes) and Assam (442 tonnes).

Thomas attributed damage to foodgrains to various factors like storage pest attack, leakages in godowns, procurement of poor quality stocks, spillage during movement and handling of stocks, exposure to rains/floods besides negligence on the part of concerned persons in taking precautionary measures.

As on April 1 this year, FCI has storage capacity of 336.04 lakh tonnes, both owned and hired, he said.

Various steps have been taken by the government to avoid damage or losses of foodgrains which includes adopting proper scientific code of storage practices, fumigation covers, nylon ropes, nets and insecticides for control of stored grain, he added.