The cost of maize comes to Rs 15.75 per kg
Tons of maize purchased by Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation in the last kharif season is rotting in godowns in Telangana (Photo: PTI)
Hyderabad: Tons of maize purchased by Andhra Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation in the last kharif season is rotting in godowns in Telangana.
Sources say nearly 25,000 tons of maize worth Rs 40 crore purchased in the last kharif season out of 2.7 lakh tons has developed fungus, is not fit for consumption and there are no takers for it.
In fact, it is not of Fair Average Quality norm stipulated by the state and the Centre as found in a letter written by principal secretary to the government, Agricultu-ral Marketing and Coo-peration Department (AM-II) to Andhra Pradesh Markfed managing director.
The maize was purch-ased at the rate of Rs 13.10 per kg and adding all incidental expenses, including transportation, hamali etc the cost comes to Rs 15.75 per kg, it is learnt.
Inquiries revealed that purchases were made bet-ween October to Decem-ber 2013 last year. The sh-elf life of maize is norma-lly one year but is dispo-sed of by May and June.
Though Markfed denies it, a letter written by principal secretary to the government, agricultural marketing and cooperation (AM-II) department to managing director Andhra Pradesh Markfed on September 5, 2014 on the subject of disposal of maize procured under MSP during 2013-2014, states that the entire quantity of maize should be disposed off before September 30 and points to the substandard quality of maize.
The deadline for disposal was subsequently extended till October 31. The principal secretary specifically points to the maize problem in Telangana in the letter.
The letter states, “Another important issue that has been brought to our notice is that the FCI has informed that substantial quantities of maize is lying in Telangana districts and are not conforming to Government of India Fair Average Quality standards and therefore in order to avoid the losses to the Telangana Markfed, now the proposal has been floated to treat the entire stock under a united MARKFED i.e AP Markfed.”
When asked about the decaying 25,000 tons of maize lying in godowns in Telangana, Markfed managing director A. Dinkar Babu said, “The quality control officials are examining the quality of maize. They will decide. It is not correct to say right now that the maize is unfit for consumption,” he said.
( Source : dc )
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