Using inferior quality flour sacks: Pakistan loses Rs 38 billion each year.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is losing roughly Rs. 38 billion each year as the government has failed to implement the Gazette notification which requires flour millers to use standard quality polypropylene woven sacks for packing and transportation of flour.

The Gazette notification was issued on May 19, 2017 followed by a Public Notice on July 28, 2018 directing manufacturers and users to get Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) license on immediate basis for polypropylene woven sacks/bags for food items. It also warns users/consumers to stop usage of sub-standard/unlicensed sacks & bags including paper bags and directed to use PS certified (marked) polypropylene woven sacks/bags for packing food items.

It is estimated that 3 to 5 percent of wheat flour gets wasted during transportation (from the flour mills to the ultimate consumers) because of the dusting from the pours of inferior quality and non-food grade polypropylene sacks that are currently in use. These inferior quality bags are manufactured by recycled plastic waste with high quality of calcium carbonate. This loss does not include the land on which the wheat was calculated and the water consumed.

Despite repeated calls to the Federal Secretary,Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Omar Hamid Khan and Secretaries Food departments of Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa, this correspondent remained unsuccessful to get their viewpoint that why the Gazette notification that was issued after detailed deliberation to stop the wastage of wheat four is not being implemented after a lapse of three years.

Iskander Khan, Chairman Pakistan Polypropylene Woven Sack Manufacturers Association told this...