Over 5 lakh million tonne wheat stock being fumigated since last 2 years
   Date :04-Feb-2020

Over 5 lakh million tonne
 
 
By Ashish Rajput :
 
Unutilised stock of wheat and pulses creating health hazards following the sprinkling of pesticides 
 
Bumper production of wheat crops is just like blessing became a curse in the district. The district has around 5.5 lakh million tons wheat and 30,000 metric tons of pulses stock at warehouses since more than two years and its continuous fumigation made the food-grains vulnerable for consumption. Food-grains which can be stored till next cropping season or maximum one year is being stored in the district since more than two years. Unutilised stock of wheat and pulses not only killing the storage space for fresh stocks but also creating health hazards following the sprinkling of pesticides and insecticides. Fumigation of food-grains is essential for its protection but repeated use of pesticides for one or two years may cause adverse effect on health of its consumers. MP Warehouse and Logistics Corporation, District Manager, Atul Sortey, while talking to ‘The Hitavada’, informed that around 5.5 lakhs metric tons wheat stock is stored at warehouses in the district due to dearth of demand. Fumigation of food-grains is carried out in every 2 to 3 months for its protection from pests and insects.
 
 
Abundant stock of wheat leads to problem of storage more food-grains in the district. Fumigation of food-grains will be continued for its protection till its supply. Shockingly, senior entomologist of Agriculture University informed that food-grains can be stocked in vacuumed place and moisture control to avoid the impact of climatic conditions and pests and insects. Fumigation of food-grains stock can be carried out in a controlled way as excess or continuous fumigation may be harmful for its consumers. Warehouses and godowns of Madhya Pradesh Warehouse and Logistics Corporation are packed with food-grains due to plentiful production. The State Government had procured the wheat stock from farmers to provide them adequate earning of their crops but failed in utilising the procured food-grains. 
 
MP Warehouse, Logistics Corpn is responsible to take care of procured stock: Collector Collector Bharat Yadav (IAS), while talking to ‘The Hitavada’, informed that stocking and protection of food-grains is not in the purview of district administration. District administration has no specialisation for technical aspects of storage of food-grains as MP Warehouse and Logistics Corporation is responsible to take care of procured stock.