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Wednesday / October 23. 2024

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HomePosts Tagged "retailers"
AgroPolicy, India, Pulses

Stock limits for each pulse is 200 MT for wholesalers; 5 MT for retailers; 5 MT at each retail outlet and 200 MT at depot for big chain retailers.

In order to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation, and also to improve affordability to the consumers in respect of tur and chana, Government of India has issued an order where it has imposed stock limits on 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, 2024 has been issued with immediate effect.

Under this order, stock limits have been prescribed for tur and chana, including kabuli chana, until 30th September, 2024 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 per cent of annual installed capacity, whichever is higher, for the millers. In respect of importers, the importers are not to hold imported stock beyond 45 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 by 12th July, 2024.

The imposition of stock limits on tur and chana is a part of slew of measures taken by the Government to crackdown on prices of essential commodities. The Department of Consumer Affairs had been closely monitoring the stock position of pulses through stock disclosure portal. The Department had, in first week of April, 2024 communicated State Governments to enforce mandatory stock disclosure by all stockholding entities, which was followed up with visits to major pulses producing States and trading hubs across the country from last week of April to 10th May, 2024. Separate meetings with traders, stockists, dealers, importers, millers and bigchain retailers were also held to encourage and sensitize them for truthful disclosure of stocks and maintaining affordability of pulses for the consumers.

It may be recalled that the Government had reduced import duty of 66% on desi chana w.e.f. 4th May, 2024 in order to augment the domestic production. The duty reduction has facilitated imports and elicit higher sowing of chana in major producing countries. As per report, chana production in Australia is estimated to increase from 5 lakh tons in 2023-24 to 11 lakh tons in 2024-25 which is expected to be available from October, 2024 onward.

Sowing of Kharif pulses like tur and urad are expected to increase significantly in this season due to high price realization by farmer and above-normal monsoon rains predicted by IMD. Further, import of current year crop of tur from East African countries are expected to arrive from August, 2024 onward.

These factors are expected to help in bringing down the prices of Kharif pulses like tur and urad in the coming month. Arrival new crop of chana in Australia and its availability for import from October, 2024 will help in maintaining availability of chana to the consumers at affordable prices.

Stock limits for each pulse is 200

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India, Supply Chain

15 LMT of Wheat to be offloaded in the first phase from central pool stock under Open Market Sale Scheme

In order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation, the Government of India has decided to impose stock limits on the Wheat applicable to Traders/Wholesaler, Retailers, Big Chain Retailers and Processors for all States and Union Territories. The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2023 has been issued with immediate effect from 12th June 2023 and will be applicable until 31st March 2024 for all States and Union Territories.

Stock limits will be applied to each entity individually such as Traders/Wholesaler- 3000 MT; Retailer-  10 MT for each of the Retail outlets; Big Chain Retailer- 10 MT for each outlet and 3000 MT at all their depots and Processors- 75 per cent of annual installed capacity. Respective legal entities, as above, have to declare the stocks position and update them regularly on the portal (https://evegoils.nic.in/wsp/login) of the Department of Food and Public Distribution and in case the stocks held by them are higher than the prescribed limit then they have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 30 days of issue of this notification. 

Further, Central Government has also decided to offload the Wheat wherein 15 LMT of Wheat will be offloaded in the first phase from central pool stock under the Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) (OMSS (D)) 2023 to flour mills/private traders/bulk buyers/manufacturers of wheat products through e-auction to control retail prices of wheat. Wheat will be sold in lot sizes of 10-100 MT. Registration for this auction is open on the FCI’s e-auction platform.

It has also been decided to offload rice under OMSS in order to moderate the prices. The quantity for the first phase of the e-auction for rice will be decided shortly.

The imposition of stock limits on Wheat along with offloading of Wheat and Rice under OMSS is part of the consistent efforts made by the Government to stabilise the prices of essential commodities. The Department of Food and Public Distribution is closely monitoring the stock position of Wheat and rice to control the prices and ensure easy availability in the country.

15 LMT of Wheat to be offloaded