1.7. Issues with Storage

♤ Storage of food grains in open space: Normally storage in open is supposed to be resorted to during peak procurement seasons. Unfortunately, lot of stock is lying in the open where even the plinths are not available. During procurement season, for want of adequate CAP storage facilities, stocks are simply dumped/stacked on open spaces wherever feasible and much of these stocks get damaged because of seepage of water from the ground in the absence of proper plinth or height of ground or due to floods and rains.

♤ Poor condition of storage facilities: Utter disregard to safe and scientific storage practices have resulted in excessive damages to food grains in the central pool maintained by SGAs. In addition, failure to ensure early disposal of damaged stock led to blockage of storage space.

♤ Storage of old crops leading to damage of food grains: As per the extant policy of issue of food grains of FCI, the principle of First-In-First-Out (FIFO) should be strictly followed with respect to the crop year as well as within crop year during which the stocks are accepted.

♤ Efficient capacity utilization: Despite storage constraints in FCI, the utilization of existing storage capacity in various states/UTs was less than 75% in majority of the months during the period 2006-07 to 2011-12. However, the capacity utilization may not be optimal due to reasons of sudden unanticipated increase in offtake for a particular region or due to unanticipated decrease in procurement.