Sirsa, Haryana: Even as millions die of hunger in the country, foodgrain damaged due to improper storage will now be auctioned off by the warehouse where the Food Corporation of India had kept it. Unfit to be eaten by humans, the foodgrain will be converted into manure.

"The stock is not at all good. We will make manure out of this wheat but we will dry it first," said Surinder Kumar, a buyer.

Most of the stock is just five months old. However, after being exposed to the monsoon, only some of it is usable even as animal fodder. The highest bid for 90% of the stock has been just 62 paise per kg to be used as manure.

"95% of it is rotten. However, these rates are not final yet. We will discuss and then the committee will decide if it is alright," said A.K Bhatnagar, manager storage, Haryana Warehousing Corporation.

For last few decades, emphasis in our country has been on agriculture production. As a result, there are mountains of foodgrain but their management was never a priority. So, lakhs of tons of foodgrain that could have easily be used to feed the hungry, ends up going down the drain.

Tags: foodgrain management, india rotten foodgrain, rotten foodgrain

• Also See