In order to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation and also to improve affordability to the consumers in respect of tur dal and urad dal, the Government of India has issued an order where it has imposed stock limits on the pulses applicable to wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, millers and importers.
The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2023 has been issued with immediate effect from 2nd June 2023.
The Department of Consumer Affairs had been closely monitoring the stock position of tur and urad through stock disclosure portal which has been reviewed on weekly basis with the State Government.
Extensive interactions with various stakeholders such as importers, millers, retailers had been held to ensure disclosure of stocks, including visits by senior officers to the states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to assess the ground situation.
Under this order, stock limits have been prescribed for tur and urad until 31st October 2023 for all States and Union Territories. Stock limits applicable to each of the pulse individually will be 200 MT for wholesalers, 5 MT for retailers, 5 MT at each retail outlet and 200 MT at depot for big chain retailers, last 3 months of production or 25% of annual installed capacity, whichever is higher, for the millers.
In respect of importers, the importers are not to hold imported stock beyond 30 days from the date of Customs clearance. The respective legal entities are to declare the stock position on the portal (https://fcainfoweb.nic.in/psp) of Department of Consumer Affairs and in case the stocks held by them are higher than the prescribed limits then, they shall bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 30 days of issue of the notification.
The imposition of stock limits on tur and urad is another step in the consistent efforts taken by the Government to crackdown on prices of essential commodities.
