Govt to release Tur from national buffer till imported stocks arrive

The Government has decided to release Tur from the national buffer in a calibrated and targeted manner till imported stocks arrive in the Indian market.

The Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has directed National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers Federation (NCCF) to dispose of Tur through online auction among eligible millers to augment the available stocks for milling into Tur Dal for the consumers.

The quantities being auctioned and the frequency will be calibrated on the basis of the assessed impact of the disposal on the availability of Tur to consumers at affordable prices, says an official release. It may be recalled that the Government had, on June 2 imposed stock limits on Tur and Urad by invoking the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, in order to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation and also to improve affordability to the consumers.

Under this order, stock limits have been prescribed for Tur and Urad until October 31 for all states and UTs. Stock limits applicable to each of the pulses individually are 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.

The order has also made it mandatory for these entities to declare the stock position on the portal (https://fcainfoweb.nic.in/psp) of the Department. The implementation of stock limit order and status of stock disclosure on the portal are continuously monitored by the Department of Consumers Affairs and the State Governments. In this regard, data on stocks held by various entities in warehouses of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs), stocks pledged by market players with banks etc have been cross checked against the quantities declared on the stock disclosure portal.

The state governments are continuously monitoring the prices in their respective states and are verifying the stock positions of stock-holding entities in order to take strict action on those who violat the stock limits order.