ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Polypropylene Woven Sack Manufacturers Association has asked the Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, to address the issue of substandard packaging of Atta (flour), which is resulting in significant financial losses for the nation.
The association’s Chairman, Iskander M. Khan, has communicated his concerns to the Prime Minister through a formal letter, a copy of which is available with WE News, highlighting the wastage of flour throughout its transportation process due to low-quality packaging.
The letter emphasizes that the inefficient packaging of flour has led to colossal financial setbacks, amounting to billions of rupees in losses for the national exchequer. Chairman Iskander M. Khan expressed alarm over Pakistan’s ranking of 99th out of 129 nations in terms of hunger severity, as indicated by the UN World Food Program. This critical issue exacerbates the challenges the country already faces regarding poverty and food insecurity.
The Chairman’s letter revealed staggering statistics, reporting a loss of Atta worth Rs. 143.360 billion during the 2022-2023 period. This loss is attributed to seepage through substandard, non-food grade sacks used during transportation at various stages, including flour mills, wholesalers, retailers, and consumers. The letter highlights the daily loss of Atta valued at Rs. 392,767,123.
Impact of Substandard Flour Packaging
The Chairman’s message pointed out the significant implications of this issue. The annual loss of 896,000 tons of flour during transportation is equivalent to the wheat yield from 340,000 hectares of land and the consumption of 600,000 cubic feet of water used for cultivation. This dire situation is a result of the non-enforcement of the law since 2017, leading to an accumulated loss of flour worth PKR 464.128 billion and intensifying hunger and undernourishment among the impoverished population.
Chairman Iskander M. Khan stressed the need for immediate action, urging the Prime Minister to enforce the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority’s mandatory S.R.O. This action would necessitate packaging flour exclusively in sacks authorized under their license, thus curbing the rampant wastage. He expressed the association’s concerns in a conversation with WE News, underlining that the issue affects millions across the nation.
Iskandar Khan reiterated that nearly 20 percent of the country’s population is currently undernourished, including 45 percent of children under the age of 5. He implored the Prime Minister to personally engage with the issue, especially considering the ongoing economic challenges that could escalate into a future food security crisis.
Another member of the association, Ijaz Khan, urged the government to promptly ban the use of such inadequate bags in the market. He noted that there are numerous factories capable of manufacturing durable and eco-friendly bags, indicating that the issue could be resolved swiftly with government intervention.
An Atta dealer from Dir Upper, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Jahangir Khan, echoed the association’s concerns. He acknowledged the problem of wastage during transportation, particularly in remote areas like Dir Upper and Chitral, causing further losses and complaints from customers.
The association’s call for immediate action resonates as a critical step toward preventing substantial financial losses and addressing the pressing issue of hunger and undernourishment in Pakistan.
