Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Eight years back, decision to open a warehouse was a guarantee that one would get the windfall. But situation has taken a U-turn in last two years. Now, most warehouses either do not have sufficient grain stock or are lying empty.
As a result, most owners are struggling to pay EMIs of huge loan they have taken to open warehouse.
“ I have five acres of land and on three acre, I constructed the warehouse. But for last two years, it is lying vacant. This has led to financial crisis. Earlier, I was planning to open one more warehouse but I have shunned the idea now. Moreover, if anyone tells me that he is planning to open a warehouse, I suggest him to look for other option,” said Vinod Sahu who owns a warehouse in Sukhi Sewania area. He said many warehouse in his area were lying vacant and their owners were facing financial crisis.
Two years back, Nathuram opened a warehouse in Misrod. He borrowed money from market at high interest. But after receiving few instalments of payments from government, he is struggling to get pending sum. Now, he is finding hard to maintain the warehouse and is under pressure to return the money taken from the market.
The warehouse corporation officials are of the view that those who constructed warehouse eight years back made money as they used to get Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh per month for storage of grains. But those who constructed two years back are running in the loss. The reason is this that stock carry forward method was stopped and the stocked grains were distributed by the government to needy during two years of corona period.
Besides, government purchased less wheat. In 2020-21, 129 lakh metric tons of wheat was purchased followed by 128 LMT in 2021-22, 46 LMT in 2022-23 and 70.97 LMT in current year. The state has 6200 private godowns.
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“Those wanting to invest in warehouses should see the viability of project. State has adequate number of godowns,” said OP Kushwah, general manager (commercial), Madhya Pradesh Warehousing and Logistics Corporation.
