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Adani Agri Logistics Limited (AALL), a unit of the Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones Ltd (APSEZ), dispatched 30,000 metric tonnes of foodgrains during the lockdown, tapping into the demand for critical food supplies.
Seven trains owned and operated by the company for transportation of food grains from production centres in northern India to consumption centres played a key role in facilitating the movement, Adani Agri Logistics said.
“What Adani Agri Logistics achieved during the difficult lockdown goes beyond business goals and benchmarks of efficiency. It not just ensured that critical food supplies were accessible to the needy but made it convenient for farmers who have stood by India during this grave humanitarian crisis,” said Karan Adani, Chief Executive Officer, APSEZ.
More than 25,000 farmers connected to the Adani Agri Logistics automated grain silo network saved Rs130 per ton, which otherwise was spent on handling and cleaning charges. The seamless process also saved them 2 to 3 man-days which easily get consumed in selling their supplies at traditional mandis.
The Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) strategic reserves of foodgrain stocks have come to the rescue during this critical period.
The depots of Adani Agri Logistics continued rake movement to fulfil FCI’s orders from silos in the producing states of Punjab and Haryana to the field depot silos situated in the consuming states.
The company operates a network of food grain storage silos across 14 locations in the country with a storage capacity of 875,000 MT per annum, that can cater to nearly 1.5 crore people.
In the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Central government introduced a welfare scheme named Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY), to distribute 5 kg food grains free of cost to all the National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries for three months besides other regular welfare schemes.
Supporting the task undertaken by FCI and various state governments, Adani Agri Logistics moved 30,000 MT of foodgrains during four weeks of lockdown. With 5 kg food grains per beneficiary, 30,000 MT of food grains into the Public Distribution System (PDS) translated into feeding over 60 lakh citizens across multiple states such Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Bengal.
Adani Agri Logistics has also kicked off the wheat procurement process of rabi crop in Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, it said.
The government should draft a policy on creating ‘Strategic Reserve of Food Grain in Silos’ to handle such unforeseen calamities in future, a company official said. “Silos are ideal mode of scientific storage with automated handling for a longer shelf life with sustained quality and nutrition,” he added. Ends/
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