Ironically, in Pakistan, the government itself is engaged in procuring plastic bags for food grain storage.
KARACHI: The Government of Pakistan should learn from Bangladesh where the Supreme Court has ordered the mandatory use of jute sacks for packaging rice to provide support to the country’s jute industry. The country also provides a cash subsidy on the export of jute products.
Ironically, in Pakistan, the government itself is engaged in procuring plastic bags for food grain storage despite the fact that jute is considered to be the best option for this. The natural fibres of jute do not affect the quality of the grain that is stored inside the jute sack. In addition to this, jute bags can be reused and for various purposes other than just storing food items, something that can come in handy given the fact that the country lacks in food storage capacity. Moreover, jute bags are not harmful to the environment like polythene bags are.
The government should take a leaf from Bangladesh’s book and promulgate a similar directive in Pakistan.
Fareed A Siddiqi
Published in The Express Tribune, August 19th, 2014.
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