Centre exempts pulse importers from stock limits

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday announced that importers of pulses will be exempted from stock limit along with millers and wholesalers.

Now, the stock limits will be applicable only on tur, urad, gram and masoor for a period up to October 31, said a Ministry of Consumer Affairs Statement.

These entities shall however continue to declare stocks on the web portal of Department of Consumer Affairs.

The decision was taken following a gradual check on rising prices of pulses and to help farmers in a big way, the statement said.

The move also came against the backdrop of several representations from pulses associations against the government’s earlier order with regard to stock limits on pulses.

For wholesalers, the stock limit will be 500 MT, provided there should not be more than 200 MT of one variety. In case of retailers, the stock limit will be 5 MT and for Millers, the stock limits will be last the 6 months’ production or 50% of annual installed capacity, whichever is higher.

This relaxation for Millers will have a down-streaming effect in terms of giving an assurance to farmers at this critical juncture of Kharif sowing of Tur and Urad, the statement said.

The government had on June 2 imposed stock limit on pulses and had taken various measures like stock declaration of pulses by the stockholders of different categories on May 14 this year.

Prices of Tur, Urad Moong and Gram started showing a consistently declining trend. Beginning with the declaration of stocks on the portal by stockholders from mid-May of 2021 and constant monitoring by central and State Governments, to the imposition of stock limits for augmenting supplies in the first week of July, the interventions have consistently been aimed at cooling the retail prices of pulses, the statement underlined.

Wholesale Prices of all the pulses (except Masur) have fallen by 3 to 4 % in the last two months and retail prices over the same period for all the pulses (except Masur) have fallen by 2 to 4%.

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