Lok Sabha Question No. 2625 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-10
Subject: Food Wastage
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE

## (a): No Madam,

According  to  a  study  conducted  by  Indian  Council  of  Agriculture Research  (ICAR)  during  2012-14  on  'Assessment  of  quantitative  harvest and post-harvest losses of major crops and commodities in India' in case of  wheat  overall  total  loss  at  the  national  level  is  estimated  at  4.93% which  includes  harvesting,  thrashing,  transportation,  storage  at  farm  &

wholesaler level etc.

Foodgrains  including  wheat  procured  by  the  Government  under Central Pool are stored in scientific manner in covered godowns and CAP (cover & plinth). Scientific codes of storage practices are followed to avoid losses. Inspite of all precautions some quantity may get damaged/become non-issuable during storage due to various reasons, such as, storage pests' attack, leakages in godowns, procurement of poor quality stocks, exposure to  rains,  floods,  negligence  on  the  part  of  concerned  persons  in  taking precautionary measures etc.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2625

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th   MAY, 2016

## FOOD WASTAGE

2625. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

## SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE:

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

- (a) whether  a  huge  quantity  of  wheat  equivalent  to  the  entire  annual production of Australia goes to waste each year in India, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government has made any study on food wastage in the country, if so, the details and the outcome thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is considering to ban supermarkets, hotels and food plazas from wasting or destroying unsold food by forcing them to
- donate it to charities and food banks;
- (d) if  so, the details thereof and the time by which the final decision is likely to be taken in this regard; and
- (e) the other steps taken by the Government to curb food wastage in the country?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

The trend of accrual of damaged/non-issuable wheat during last three years in Food Corporation of India godowns is as under:

| Year    |   Quantity accrued as damaged (in lakh tons) |   % damaged wheat against Off-take quantity |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2013-14 |                                         0.13 |                                       0.05  |
| 2014-15 |                                         0.07 |                                       0.03  |
| 2015-16 |                                         0.01 |                                       0.004 |

(b),(c),(d)&(e):    A  Committee  on  'Containment  of  wastage  of  food  and ostentatious behavior during social gatherings (Marriage/Parties/Meetings etc)' under the Chairmanship of Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs  was  set  up  by  Government  on  30.05.2011.  The  validity  of  the Committee expired on 31.03.2014. On the instruction of the Committee, the Indian  Institute  of  Public  Administration  (IIPA)  conducted  a  survey  on wastage. A copy of the report containing recommendations was sent to all the Union Ministries/Departments, States/UTs for necessary action on the advices  contained  therein.  The  recommendations  in  the  report  inter-alia include  major  focus  on  education  &  awareness,  pro-active  role  of  both print & electronic media highlighting simple social functions, involvement of youth in various events to raise awareness of food wastage, involvement of  Consumer  Clubs/NSS/NCC/Nehru  Yuva  Kendra  etc.  in  the  campaign, involvement  of  hospitality  industry(Food  Service  Sector)  to  contribute  in minimizing food wastage besides, observance of austerity by Government Departments  and  Public  Sector  Organizations  while  organizing  social events.

Government has taken various steps to curb the food wastage based on the recommendations of the Committee which are as under:

- 1) An awareness campaign through Audio/Visual Publicity on the lines of 'Jago  Grahak  Jago'  was  included  as  a  part  of  the  scheme  for sensitizing the general public on the issue.
- 2) An awareness campaign through the consumer clubs in Schools and Colleges has been promoted with the help of State Governments/UT Administrations under the Scheme of consumer clubs.
- 3) The State Governments/UTs have been advised by the Department of Consumer Affairs to create awareness on wastage of foodgrains and ostentatious behavior witnessed especially during social gatherings such  as  marriages/parties/functions  and  to  contain  them  so  as  to sensitize  the  student  community  on  the  issue,  predominantly  using the local/regional languages besides English and Hindi.
- 4) The  National  Curriculum  Framework  developed  by  NCERT  includes 'Food'  as  one  among  six  common  themes  of  the  syllabus  of 'Environmental  Studies'  of  Class  III  to  V  and  in  'Science'  subject from Class VI to X. The contents related to 'Wastage of Food' have been included  in  the  syllabus  on  Health  &  Physical  Education  as  a compulsory  subject  upto  Secondary  stage  (Class  XI-XII),  to  avoid wastage of food.

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