Wheat packaging causes losses worth Rs57b

Use of non-laminated bags by flour mills is causing wastage

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is facing annual losses of up to Rs57 billion due to packing of wheat flour in non-laminated bags.

Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) had issued a notification making it implementation of food grade polypropylene laminated sacks mandatory.

However, flour mills continued to flout this notification and packed wheat flour in non-compliance of orders of PSQA.

In this regard, Pakistan polypropylene woven sack manufacturers have written a complaint to the Ministry of Industries and the prime minister that the country is losing 3-4% wheat flour annually due to packing in non-laminated bags.

The letter highlighted that despite high prices of wheat flour in the country between 3-5% of it is wasted during handling as the flour leaks through the low quality woven bags.

The manufacturers of laminated bags have also referred to a study that up to 0.5 kilograms wheat flour leaks out of 20 kg bags by the time it reaches the end destination.

The wastage accounts between 460,000 and 768,000 tonnes, which amounts to losses worth Rs34.56 to Rs57.60 billion per annum. In terms of cultivated area, the loss is equivalent to 276,000 to 460,000 hectares.

“Just by controlling wastages during transportation and handling, the nation can save significant quantity of essential food item,” the letter highlighted.

PSQCA has already issued an SRO for mandatory use of food grade, one side laminated and one side woven polypropylene sacks.

The letter, also forwarded to the ministry of food security, refers price difference between the non-food grade and food grade sack that is only Rs0.22 per kg of wheat flour.

It also added that in many areas of the country, mostly urban centres, including Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi, wheat flour and other food commodities are packed in unhygienic conditions.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 22^nd, 2020.

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