Lok Sabha Question No. 1536 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-08
Subject: Wastage of Food
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: DINESH TRIVEDI, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.12.2015

## WASTAGE OF FOOD

1536. SHRI DINESH TRIVEDI:

SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

## Will the Minister of CONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the amount of processed and unprocessed food including foodgrains that are wasted in the country annually, State/ UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has drawn up a mechanism to reduce such wastage in future, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government engages with experts in both the national and international arena to systematically address the issue of wastage of foodgrains, if so, the details thereof, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  has  set  any  targets  in  relation  to  curtailment  of  wastage  of foodgrains; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=ky; ea=h ¼Jh jke foykl ikloku½

## THE MINISTER FOR

## CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM VILAS PASWAN)

- (a) : No  specific  data  is  maintained  centrally  of  processed  and  unprocessed  food that is wasted in the country annually, State/ UT-wise. Statement on the storage loss, transit loss and damaged foodgrains is at Annexure-I.
- (b)  & (c ) :  Steps taken to control storage & transit losses in central pool foodgrains are at Annexure-II. Steps taken to avoid damage of central pool foodgrains during storage are at Annexure-III .  A  study on 'storage losses  in  foodgrains  in FCI & CWC warehouses and to recommend  norms  for  storage  losses  in  efficient  warehousing  management'  has  been assigned to Central Institute  of  Post  Harvest  Engineering  &  Technology  (CIPHET), Ludhiana, A  ICAR  Institute.  The information regarding wastages of food witnessed especially  during  occasions  like  marriages,  parties  and  meetings,  in  the  country  is  at Annexure-IV .
- (d) & (e)  :  Annual targets for restricting storage & transit losses in Central Pool foodgrains in FCI have been fixed. The target and achievement are at Annexure-V.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (a) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

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## STATEMENT ON STORAGE LOSS, TRANSIT LOSS AND DAMAGED FOODGRAINS

## Storage Loss

| Year                  | Qty of Loss   |   %of Loss |
|-----------------------|---------------|------------|
| 2012-13*              | 2.20          |       0.22 |
| 2013-14*              | 1.87          |       0.17 |
| 2014-15               | 0.06          |       0.01 |
| 2015-16 (upto Oct'15) | -0.20(Gain)   |      -0.04 |

## Transit Loss

| Year                  |   Qty of Loss |   %of Loss |
|-----------------------|---------------|------------|
| 2012-13*              |          2.12 |       0.47 |
| 2013-14*              |          2.43 |       0.46 |
| 2014-15               |          2.37 |       0.47 |
| 2015-16 (upto Oct'15) |          0.72 |       0.39 |

## Damaged Foodgrains

Following table shows the trend of accrual of Non-Issuable food grains in FCI

## (Quantity in Lakh Tons)

| Year                      |   Accrued Quantity of Damaged Foodgrains |   %age of Damaged Food grains against offtake quantity |
|---------------------------|------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------|
| 2012-13                   |                                     0.03 |                                                   0.01 |
| 2013-14                   |                                     0.25 |                                                   0.05 |
| 2014-15                   |                                     0.19 |                                                   0.04 |
| 2015-16 (As on 1-11-2015) |                                     0.03 |                                                   0.01 |

*****

(Quantity in Lakh Tons)

(Quantity in Lakh Tons)

STATEMENT  REFERRED  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (b)  &  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

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## STEPS TAKEN TO CONTROL STORAGE & TRANSIT LOSSES IN CENTRAL POOL FOODGRAINS

## Measures taken to minimize Storage losses

-  Physical  measures  like  installation  of  barbed  wire  fencing  of  the  boundary walls, provision of street lights for illumination of godowns and proper locking of the sheds are taken to secure the godowns.
-  Security  staff  of  FCI  as  well  as  other  Agencies  like  Home  Guards,  Special Police Officers are deployed for safety of the stocks.
-  Deployment of  Central  Industrial  Security  Force  and  State  Armed  Police  has been done at some depots / godowns, which are vulnerable.
-  FIRs have been lodged with the Police.
-  ·      Security  Inspections  as  well  as  surprise  checks  of  the  Depots  are  also conducted from time to time at various levels to detect and    plug the security lapses.
-  Special  Squad  checking  at  selected  rail-heads,  transshipment  and  destination/ dispatch centers.
-  Identification of vulnerable points.
-  Inspection of Depots by Senior Officers of the HQs, Executive Directors (Zone) / General Managers (Region)/ Area Managers.
-  Periodical prophylactic and curative treatment of stocks, as prescribed.
-  Maintaining priority list for issue of stocks observing the FIFO principle.
-  Undertaking pre-monsoon fumigation.
-  Improvement in dunnage material.
-  Ensuring proper quality checking of foodgrains at the time of procurement

## Measures taken to minimize Transit losses

-  Use of polythene sheet in railway wagons to retrieve the spilled-over grains has been introduced.
-  Deployment of independent Consignment Certification Squad (ICCS) at the time of loading and unloading of rakes is being ensured.
-  Identification  of  vulnerable  points  both  at  dispatching  &  recipient  centers  for intensive checking is being undertaken regularly by the field officers.
-  Special  squad  checking  at  selected  rail  heads  and  destination  /dispatch  centers  is being resorted to.
-  Proper weighment and accounting at the time of receipt and issue is being ensured.
-  Disciplinary action is initiated against delinquents wherever abnormal and unjustified transit losses are reported.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

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## STEP  TAKEN  TO  AVOID  DAMAGE  OF  CENTRAL  POOL  FOODGRAINS  DURING STORAGE

- (i)         All godowns are to be constructed as per specifications.
- (ii)         Foodgrains  are  to  be  stored  by  adopting  proper  scientific  code  of  storage practices.
- (iii)         Adequate  dunnage  materials  such  as  wooden  crates,  bamboo  mats,  polythene sheets  are  to  be  used  to  check  migration  of  moisture  from  the  floor  to  the foodgrains.
- (iv)        Fumigation covers, nylon ropes, nets and insecticides for control of stored grain insect pests are to be provided in all the godowns.
- (v)         Prophylactic (spraying of  insecticides) and curative treatments (fumigation) are to be carried out regularly and timely in godowns for the control of stored grain insect pests.
- (vi)        Effective  rat  control  measures,  both  in  covered  godowns  as  well  as  in  CAP storage are to be used.
- (vii)      Foodgrains  in  'Cover  and  Plinth'  (CAP)  storage  are  to  be  stored  on  elevated plinths and wooden crates are to be used as dunnage material. Stacks are to be properly covered with specifically fabricated low-density black polythene waterproof covers and tied with nylon ropes/nets.
- (viii)     Regular  periodic  inspections  of  the  stocks/godowns  are  to  be  undertaken  by qualified and trained staff and all senior officers.
- (ix)       The  principle  of  'First  in  First  Out'  (FIFO)  is  to  be  followed  to  the  extent possible so as to avoid longer storage of foodgrains in godowns.
- (x)         Only  covered  rail  wagons  are  to  be  used  for  movement of  foodgrains  so  as  to avoid damage during transit.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (b) & (c) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

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## Wastage of food and Ostentatious Behaviour during Marriages/Parties/Meetings

No  specific details have been maintained by the Government.  The  Central Government set up a Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs to study the various aspects of food wastages witnessed especially during occasions  like  marriages/parties/meetings  in  the  country  and  suggest  ways  and  means  to control it. Civil Supply/Food Secretaries of the four States viz. West Bengal, Maharashtra, Delhi  and  Tamilnadu  were  also  the  member  of  the  Committee.  The  first  meeting  of  the Committee was held on 23.06.2011 wherein it was decided to take action on the following to begin with:

- (i) Awareness  Campaign  through  audio  visual  publicity,  use  of  consumer  clubs  in schools and colleges.
- (ii) To sensitize student community about the avoidable wastage.
- (iii) To identify the NGOs involved in collection of surplus food for distribution to the poor.
- (iv) To entrust Indian  Institute  of  Public  Administration  (IIPA)  with  the  conduct  of  a survey on wastage so as to assess magnitude of the problem.

The IIPA conducted a preliminary study/survey on Assessment of Food Wastage and Ostentatious  Behavior  during  social  gatherings  in  the  NCR  of  Delhi.  In  their  Report  the IIPA  recommended,  amongst  others,  mainly  the  need  to  develop  awareness  amongst  the country's population through awareness campaigns, education, etc. the Report mentions the unsuitability  of  legal  approach  as  solution  to  this  problem  since  it  is  essentially  a  sociocultural issue.

The  Ministry  of  Human  Resource  Development  and  Education  Ministers  of  all States/UTs  were  addressed  vide  the  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  letters  dated  5 th August  2011 for inclusion of a chapter in the social sciences on this issue in the curriculum of  schools/colleges  so  that  the  children  may  become  conscious  of  this  issue  from  the growing age itself. In response, the Ministry of Human Resources Development informed that the matter was taken up with NCERT and CBSE. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF)-2005 developed by NCERT cover new syllabi and textbooks in all the subjects for all stages  of  school  education.  'Food'  is  one  among  six  common  themes  of  the  syllabus  of Environmental Studies of class III-V. 'Food' is also included from class VI-X in Science subject.  The  contents  related  to  'Wastage  of  food'  have  already  been  included  in  the syllabus on Health and Physical Education as a compulsory subject upto Secondary Stage (Classes XI-XII) and focus has been made on avoiding wastage of food.

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## Transit Loss

| Year    |   MoU Target | Achievement        |
|---------|--------------|--------------------|
| 2012-13 |         0.43 | 0.47*              |
| 2013-14 |         0.43 | 0.46*              |
| 2014-15 |         0.45 | 0.47               |
| 2015-16 |         0.42 | 0.39 (upto Oct'15) |

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## ANNEXURE-V

## STATEMENT REFERRED IN REPLY TO PARTS (d) & (e) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1536 FOR 08.12.2015 REGARDING WASTAGE OF FOOD.

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## STATEMENT ON TARGET FOR RESTRICTING STORAGE LOSS AND TRANSIT LOSS IN CENTRAL POOL FOODGRAINS IN FCI.

## Storage Loss

| Year    |   MoU Target | Achievement                |
|---------|--------------|----------------------------|
| 2012-13 |         0.22 | 0.22*                      |
| 2013-14 |         0.22 | 0.17*                      |
| 2014-15 |         0.21 | 0.01                       |
| 2015-16 |         0.15 | -0.04 (Gain) (upto Oct'15) |

## (Figures in percentage)

## (Figures in percentage)