Daily Times

Director Technical of Balochistan Food Authority Shakeel Ahmed has said that food fortification is an important strategy to address the issue of malnutrition in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, and in this noble cause the oil and ghee mills are fully cooperating with the government, ensuring fortification of their products.

He expressed these views on behalf of Director General Balochistan Food Authority during a progress review meeting ‘Digitizing Pakistan’s Vitamin A Oil Program to Drive Sustainability’, organized by the Nutrition International.

He congratulated the participants on the approval of the Balochistan Food Fortification Act 2021 from the provincial assembly, and said the act was much needed and a huge milestone to ensure production and supply of fortified foods to the people.

He said the Nutrition International was playing a vital role in the process. Not only was it supporting millers, but also the provincial Food Safety Authorities in the form of capacity building and provision of testing equipment.

Director Legal of Balochistan Food Authority Muhammad Ishaq said loose edible oil in the market was a serious health concern for public health, which is mostly used by the underprivileged class who already suffers from malnutrition.

He said the Balochistan Food Authority was taking strict action against those involved in selling of loose oil, and in coming days would further intensify the operation.

Director General of Implementation, Planning and Development Department Ghulam Mustafa said there was a need to raise awareness among the masses, who used loose oil on daily basis, and to sensitize them to know how injurious it was to their health.

Chief of Section Nutrition Planning and Development Department Dr Sattar Essazai said that the department was committed to implement the Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Strategy of Balochistan through re-establishment of SUN Secretariat.

Director Nutrition of Health Department Shabir Mengal said Pakistan was facing a triple burden of malnutrition, it resulted in stunting, Vitamin A and D deficiencies, anemia, and lower IQ among other complications.

Programme Manager of Edible Oil Fortification, Nutrition International, Zameer Haider said food fortification was cost effective and it resulted in massive returns. He added that oil and ghee was an ideal vehicle for the fortification purposes.

While citing a government report, he said the government incurred loss of over 7.6 billion US$ annually due to malnutrition. He maintained the cost on one kilogram of oil and ghee fortification was just 60 to 70 paisa, making it a very low-cost intervention, with greater benefits.

Currently, he said, in Pakistan 72 percent of the edible oil and ghee was contributed from the formal sector, while 28 percent of it came in the shape of loose edible oil – without fortification and refining – and the government needed to make concerted efforts to stop the sale of such oil.