kOshThAgArAdhyakshaH - Superintendent of Magazine

After dealing with the supervisor of kOSa gRha - On precious items and their quality control, in the 15th chapter of II book of arthaSAstra deals with the overseer of kOshThAgAra.

"kOshTha" is the store of agricultural produce that which is eaten by beings.

The adhyaksha of magazine should know well about sIta - production from agriculture, rAshTram - revenue from countryside, krayimam - purchase, parivartakam - bartering, prAmityakam - getting things for free (as grant from sources), apamityakam - borrowing, simhanikA - taking care of workers pounding, splitting, frying, fermenting, grinding, pressing oil from oilseeds, making sugar from sugarcane etc.,

cANakya groups all the agriculture produce into 4 categories. 1. dhAnya - grains 2. snEha - Fats 3.kshAra - sugars and 4. lavaNa - salts

The supervisor should personally observe and know about the quantity increase or decrease by pounding, grinding etc activities.

All the produce should be graded according to the quality and should be utilized for suitable persons consumption. For example the low grade items can be given to elephants, horses and other animals, medium grade items can be given to servants and high grade items are made available to aristocrats.

"A prastham of rice, a quarter quantity (of rise) pulses, a sixteenth quantity (of pulses) salts (minerals) and forth (of pulses) of fats is one average (balanced) meal" -. Says cANakya.

Of the incoming produce into kOshTha, 50% should be used rest of the 50% should be stored for any unforeseen draught etc., periodically the old stock should be replaced by the new stock by using the older stock for consumption.

Tools for measuring and weighing, sieves, grinding, winnowing, scattering, pounding and crushing machines should be acquired and kept in good condition.

Workmen to handle different activities in the kOshTha like sweeping, measuring, delivering, tallying etc., should be employed.

cANakya concludes this chapter with:

उच्छ्ऐर्धान्यस्य निक्षेपो मूताः क्षारस्य संहताः
मृत्काष्ठकोष्ठाः स्नेहस्य पृथिवी लवणस्य च

"Grains should be stored on a higher (platform), close-knit dry grass bags for storing jaggery and sugars, earthen or wooden containers for fats and earth for salts."

My Notes:
Chapter by chapter cANakya keeps emphasizing on the knowledge of source, the process of quality control and improving usability of raw materials, transporting them, storing them, putting them for best use at the right place and right time, the tools needed, the man power needed and the overall environmentally friendly process to be followed in an all inclusive mode! (he actually considers all the living beings including animals and plants well being while dealing with any topic that is being discussed!)