The Center has eased stock limits for pulses like tur and urad to ensure higher supply The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Distribution made changes to the 2016 regulation on the abolition of food permit requirements, storage restrictions, and movement restrictions in a supplementary notice issued on Monday. The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Storage Restrictions, and Movement Restrictions on Certain Foods (Third Amendment) Order 2023 takes effect and covers pulses such as tur and urad. Under the new regime, wholesalers have a supply limit of 200 tons of each of these pulses. Earlier, an announcement on September 25 lowered the stock limit for wholesalers to 50 tonnes.
The stock limit for retailers has been maintained at five tonnes. Large retailers have a stock limit of 5 tonnes per pod at each retail store and 200 tonnes (previously 50 tonnes) per pod in stock. The plant stock limit has been revised to correspond to three month’s production or 25 percent of the annual installed capacity, whichever is higher. Previously, it was reduced to the production of 1 month, or 10 percent of the annual capacity. Importers can now hold stock for up to 60 days from the date of customs clearance, compared to earlier 30 days. In addition, the relevant legal entities would report their inventory on the Ministry of Consumer Protection portal, and if the supplies in their possession exceed the prescribed limit, they must bring them to the prescribed limit within 30 days, the notice said. In addition, the store was called upon to ensure regular reporting and updating of vegetable stocks in the ministry’s portal.
