Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): A shortage of petroleum products is hovering over the state because of the US, Israel, and Iran war.
Since the central government has imposed a ban on making items from petroleum products, the production of polypropylene (PP) bags has stopped.
Instead of jute bags, the government decided to use PP bags as sacks for packing procured wheat this time.
The government is facing problems because PP bags are not being manufactured.
Arranging sacks before the procurement of wheat is necessary. Because of the current situation, the government has extended the date for procuring wheat.
The wheat procurement was to begin on March 15, but now, the process will start in the Malwa region on April 1 and in the rest of the state on April 7.
Earlier, the procured wheat was kept in jute bags. But this time, the government decided to keep wheat in PP bags.
PP bags are made of petroleum products. The petroleum companies have been told to produce LPG. The private companies have also been given the same instruction.
According to a senior officer, the government does not have any option other than using PP bags and jute sacks. The government has the stock of some sacks, but if the war continues for a long time, there will be a problem, the officer said.
Silo bags are used for storing wheat, but the petroleum products are used to manufacture these bags.
The major problem the government is facing is that nobody knows how long the war will continue.
Wheat output was good in the state. It is expected that the output will go beyond 350 lakh tonnes. Over 12 lakh farmers have got themselves registered for selling wheat. The procurement may go up to 100 lakh tonnes.
Against this backdrop, the government is facing a shortage of sacks to keep wheat.
