Having been convinced of Pakistan’s chronic dependence on the imported wheat, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in its annual report during 1998 had projected that “Pakistan’s dependence on wheat import is likely to mount to 15 million tons annually by 2010 from the planned 4 million tons in 1977-78”.
However, contrary to the IFPRI projection, Pakistan harvested a bumper wheat crop in 1999-2000. The official estimates put the total production at over 21 million tons which was, of course, most heart-warming on the economic front. This is because bumper wheat harvest had provided a breathing space for the government and managers of the economy by eliminating imports with the possibility of exportable surplus thus easing the balance of payment trade relation.
With bumper wheat crop in the last three years, Pakistan ,besides meeting the domestic needs, exported the surplus stocks to Afghanistan, Iraq, Sudan, Dubai, Kenya, Somalia and many other countries. But unfortunately, not even a single bag of wheat was exported from the godowns of district Khairpur where about 600,000 bags were stored.
On the other hand, because of the higher price of wheat in Sindh than in Punjab, millers and businessmen preferred to purchase wheat from the later. This very policy of the food department allowed longer storage of the stocks in godowns of the district which are old and not fit for long storage of any foodstuffs. The result was the obvious. Following long storage and poor treatment facilities, the entire stocks of wheat since 1999-2000 came under pest attack.
Survey of godowns at Ranipur, Khairpur, Setharja and Thari Mirwah undertaken recently indicated that wheat stocks stored either inside the godowns or in the premises outside are virtually littered with khapra beetles larvae and adults. The very pest has damaged not only the wheat grains but the very gunny bags also worth millions of rupees. Existing conditions of wheat stock and present status of khapra beetles based on samples examination are as under:
1999-2000 stocks: Infested grains 54 per cent, grain powder(dust) comprising body parts of beetles and setae, 30-35 per cent and 124 khapra beetle’s larvae per table spoon of infested grain sample.
2000-01 stocks: Infested grain 40 per cent, dust 25 per cent, 90 larvae per table spoon sample.
2001-02 stocks: infested grain 35 per cent, dust 20 per cent, 75 larvae per table spoon samples.
However, variation in damage percentage vary from godown to godown and between stock lying in the open and those stored inside the godowns. In spite of the fact that fumigation has been taken two to four times, it was evident from the intensity of damage that it was not carried out properly. Survey also revealed that many stocks of wheat were mixed with rape, barley, oat and weed seeds.
The most haunting aspect of the scenario was that the authorities are perhaps not aware of the fact that after change of status from importing to exporting country, Pakistan has to face big challenges. Reportedly, total during 2001-2002 with public sector agencies for export was around one million tons. Fulfilment of export rules and regulations imposed by the international organisations such as the WTO/TRIPS, Codex Alimentarious Commission, and competition in quality with developed countries including Canada, Australia and the United States were perhaps the biggest hindrance to export.
According to the international quarantine laws and quality standards, wheat meant for export has to be tested chemically and biologically and certified by a quality control laboratory that can perform these tests according to international standards.
If existing arrangement in respect of procurement, storage disinfection. treatment and disposal of wheat stocks in Sindh, particularly in district Khairpur,is viewed in the backdrop of aforementioned requirements for export, it is clear that there is no future of existing stocks of wheat in the godowns as well as wheat being procured from 2002-03 harvest.
The existing wheat scenarios in district Khairpur also look very depressing because of the fact that the authority supervising the whole affairs at the divisional level is perhaps not aware of the magnanimity of destruction capability of deadly khapra beetle. It would be relevant to mention here that in addition to the obvious grain and stored product hosts, khapra beetle has been found in many locations that could not be obvious food source, unless one realizes that the insect is by nature an omnivorous protein scavenger.
It has been found in the seams and ears of burlap bags and wrappers, in baled crape rubber, automobiles, steel wire, books, corrugated boxes [glue], gunny bags, and even soil lines and priceless oil paintings. It is frequently intercepted on obvious food products such as rice, peanuts, dried animal skin, as well as its preferred natural foods such as wheat and malted barley. Such infections may result from the storage of the product, infested warehouses, by transportation in the infected conveyances, or from refuse of sacs or packing previously used to hold material infected by khapra beetle. Economic importance of this deadly beetle could be gauged from the fact that due to detection of a few adults or larvae of this beetle in the bundle of grey cloth imported from Pakistan in i970’s, the USA imposed compulsory fumigation of all grey cloth consignments meant for export to USA from Pakistan. But here the food department was not bothered by the presence of 124 khapra beetle larvae per tablespoon sample drawn from their wheat stocks.
From the record of godowns surveyed it was evident that the district food controller concerned was kept informed of the infestation situation of stocks in various godowns through the fortnightly reports.
Suggestions: (1) To save existing wheat stocks,the Sindh government should take appropriate steps immediately. Since proper control of khapra beetle under the prevailing condition of majority of the godowns in the district is not possible with phosphine gas fumigation alone, it is imperative that after fumigation/treatment stocks are immediately disposed of.
(2) Since khapra beetle is a secondary pest of gunny hags also besides grain it is warranted that new gunny bags lying in different godowns for issuance to farmers for procurement of 2002-03 wheat harvest are properly fumigated prior to their issuance to growers. It is necessary as new bags are stored in the godowns heavily under khapra beetle invasion.
(3) In order to protect 2002-03 harvest from cross contamination of stored grain pest particularly khapra beetles it is imperative that after procurement new stocks are not stored in the godowns or its premises already under khapra beetle infestations.
(4) In view of prevailing corruption and inefficiency, some foolproof arrangement should be devised to curb mixing of old infested stocks with the new crop during the process of procurement particularly through the middleman.
Having been convinced of Pakistan’s chronic dependence on the imported wheat, the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in its annual report during 1998 had projected that “Pakistan’s dependence on wheat import is likely to mount to 15 million tons annually by 2010 from the planned 4 million tons in 1977-78”.
