FCI fails to rope in pvt players in Hry

The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has not been able to meet the required number of proposals from the private players to provide storage for the wheat crop in Haryana.

The FCI floated the tender under the five-year guarantee scheme for storing 4 million tonnes but received response for 0.8 million tonnes of storage capacity only.

A senior official in the FCI said the rates quoted in the proposals received were unviable. So the proposals for only 70,000 quintals were acceptable.

The present storage capacity of FCI (both owned and hired) in Haryana is about 2.35 million tonnes.

He added that the FCI hired godowns through the state agencies at Rs 1.5 to Rs 2 per quintal per month (the seven year guarantee scheme expired in December 2008 and was extended to December 2009). This has been recently revised to Rs 3 per quintal per month keeping in view the rate of inflation.

He added that the traditional specifications regarding the storage have been followed and the hi-tech storage has not been provided for.

He informed that taking cognizance of the lukewarm response of the private players the FCI plans to revise the guarantee period from 5 years to 7 years for floating fresh tenders.

The Food Corporation of India expects to procure 18.60 lac tonne of rice and 7 million tonnes of wheat in 2010-11.

The wheat crop can be stored for up to three years in the open plinths but can be damaged if stored further in open.

In the year 2002 over 1.5 tonnes was damaged in Haryana because of prolonged storage in open. The good harvest of wheat expected in the current rabi season requires more storage at least up to 0.8 million tonnes.