The above question is a major predicament for homemakers and granaries alike across the country. However, homemade remedies and easily available items can keep all kinds of insects away from your food.
Food for Mind, a stall at Sattvik 2011, by one of the organisers SRISTI, is spreading awareness about homemade and easily available remedies to eradicate gnats from food grains. DNA's Niyati Rana profiles some interesting and easy methods used by farmers in remote villages of Gujarat to keep the following grains in good health in these times of high food inflation.
Wheat stock: Something as humble as the match stick can become a saviour for wheat stock. Take a pack of matchsticks (about 50 sticks) and wound each stick with cotton thread. Cluster these 50 'wound' match sticks and put them in a vessel containing 20 kg wheat. Change this cluster from time to time to keep wheat free of moths for an entire year. Neem leaves and dill seeds can also be used. These ideas were suggested by farmers Rambhai Savaliya (of Junagadh), Magjiba ala (of Ahmedabad) and Harji Devulbhai of Navsari.
Rice: Use either 200 gm dry coconut powder, 100 gm mint leaves, 100 gm Tulsi or 10 small cubes of camphor tied in a piece of cloth for a vessel of 20 kg rice. Adopting any of these methods will keep worms away from the rice. The ideas are practiced by Kanta Patel (of Anand), Kamlaben Patel (of Navsari) and Ramaben Patel of Ahmedabad.
Jowar: Employ red chillies when storing this food grain. Put 200 gm dry red chillies in a vessel of 20 kg jowar. The idea is practiced by Mokuben Koli, resident of Surendranagar district.
Pulses: A small mango, dry leaves of pulses plant and mint leaves are handy when preserving pulses. For every 20 kg of pulses, put a bag of 500 gm dry chana leaves, 100 gm mint leaves or small mangoes. The ideas are suggested by Nanji Dodiyar (of Sabarkantha) and Lalji Chaudhary of Banaskantha district.
Peanuts: Use mint leaves to prevent black gnats in peanuts. For every 20 kg of peanuts, use 100 gm mint leaves powder in every such consignment. This practice also prevents peanuts from going sour. The idea was suggested by Meraman Naghera of Junagadh. Also, 25-30 turmeric sticks can be used for 5 kg of peanut stock.
