Pulses stocks in warehouses located in major ports and in pulses industry hubs should be verified: Department of Consumer Affairs

Strict action to be taken on stockholding entities found to be reporting false information on stock disclosure portal: Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs

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. Stocks in warehouses located in major ports and in pulses industry hubs should be verified from time to time and strict action should be taken on stockholding entities found to be reporting false information on stock disclosure portal.

The Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Smt. Nidhi Khare took a meeting today with Principal Secretaries and Secretaries of State Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Departments as a follow up of the 5th April, 2024 directive to all the States/UTs to enforce pulses stock disclosure by stockholding entities. The States and UTs were apprised of the need for increased vigilance over the stock position and price trends in respect of pulses to prevent hoarding and market manipulation.

She also took a meeting with pulses importers associations and other pulses industry representatives to discuss issues relating to the import and stock disclosure. The participants shared their views and inputs on 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 weekly basis. In this regard, the Department of Consumer Affairs has revamped the stock disclosure portal https://fcainfoweb.nic.in/psp/ to include Yellow Peas and also Big Chain Retailer as an entity which will be operational from 15th April, 2024.

Apart from the five major pulses, namely, Tur, Urad, Chana, Masur and Moong, the States/UTs have been asked to monitor the stock position in respect of imported Yellow Peas. The import of Yellow Peas has been allowed from 8th December, 2023 for a period till 30th June, 2024 to augment overall availability of pulses. Smt. 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.