Centre directs states to step up vigil against hoarding of pulses to keep prices in check

NEW DELHI — The Centre on Wednesday directed all states and UTs to enforce weekly stock disclosure of pulses by all stockholding entities and verify the stocks declared by them in order to prevent hoarding and market manipulation that leads to an increase in prices.

Stocks in warehouses located in major ports and in industry hubs of pulses should be verified from time to time and strict action should be taken on stockholding entities found to be reporting false information on the stock disclosure portal, the order issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs states.

Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Nidhi Khare held a meeting with officials of the state governments as a follow-up of the directive issued to all states and UTs on April 5, to enforce pulses stock disclosure by stockholding entities.

States and UTs were asked to step up vigilance over the stock position and price trends in respect of pulses to prevent hoarding and market manipulation.

Khare also held a meeting with pulses importers associations and other pulses industry representatives to discuss issues relating to import and stock disclosures. The participants shared their views and inputs on the pulses industry in general and imports in particular.

The importers and industry players have been asked to religiously declare their stock of pulses, including imported yellow peas, on a weekly basis. In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has revamped the stock disclosure portal to include yellow peas and also introduced Big Chain Retailer as an entity which will be operational from April 15, 2024, according to the official statement.

Apart from the five major pulses — tur, urad, chana, masur, and moong, the states and UTs have been asked to monitor the stock position in respect of imported yellow peas. The import of yellow peas has been allowed from December 8, 2023, till June 30, 2024, to augment the overall availability of pulses.

Khare stressed the need to ensure that imported yellow peas are continuously released in the market. Similarly, stocks of tur, urad, and masur with importers are to be monitored for smooth and continuous release in the market.