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Chauhan writes to Pawar over ‘sub-standard’ imported wheat

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has written a letter to the Union Minister for Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies, Sharad Pawar, bringing to his notice the issue of “sub-standard” imported wheat being supplied to Madhya Pradesh by the Union Government under the public distribution system.

The Chief Minister has informed Mr. Pawar that people in the State are annoyed over the poor quality of imported wheat. He has gone on record stating that on inspecting the Food Corporation of India warehouse in Bhopal on Monday he found that the stock was below standard.

On the other hand, the stock of wheat procured from other parts of the country was much better, he added.

The Chief Minister has expressed apprehension that the imported wheat could be infested with many alien species of wild grasses as happened in the case of “kharpatwar gajar ghas” (carrot grass).

These invasive species could cause significant damage to local natural eco-systems and bio-diversity and leave an adverse impact on the cattle population. They could also damage the health of the common man, he added.

The Chief Minister has asked Mr. Pawar whether or not other countries, especially the developed nations, would ever be ready to accept such poor quality wheat. He has also quoted Food Corporation of India of having told him that they had received instructions that good quality wheat is to be supplied to the State Civil Supplies Corporation only after complete disposal of the available stock of imported “red wheat”.

In a terse message, Mr. Chauhan has told Mr. Pawar that it is objectionable to offload such poor quality of wheat under PDS for the people of Madhya Pradesh.

He has further pointed out that the Union Government was offering Rs.1,000 per quintal of wheat to the farmers during the rabi season whereas it was paying Rs.1,600 per quintal for imported wheat.

“If the farmers in the country were offered better support price, there would be no need to import wheat,” he added.

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Chauhan writes to Pawar over ‘sub-standard’ imported wheat

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