Government sets stock limits on chana and tur until Sept 30

The government has implemented stock limits on chana and tur as part of a series of measures to control the prices of essential commodities. Stock holding limits are set at 200 tonne for wholesalers, five tonne for retailers, and 200 tonne for large chain retailers.

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The Indian government has imposed stock holding limits on tur and chana pulses to curb hoarding and rising prices, effective until September 30. The limits are set at 200 tonnes for wholesalers and large chain retailers, and five tonnes for retailers. Millers can hold stocks equal to their last three months of production or 25% of their annual capacity, whichever is higher. Importers must not hold stocks beyond 45 days from customs clearance.

Current mandi prices for chana are around Rs 7,000 per quintal, and for tur, they are around Rs 11,800 per quintal, both above their respective MSPs. The move is expected to reduce prices by Rs 200-300 per quintal. The Department of Consumer Affairs has directed traders to declare their stocks from April 15.

Inflation in pulses has risen, with tur prices up 32.1% year-on-year and chana prices up 14.84%. New tur imports from East Africa are expected from August 2024, and chana imports from Australia from October 2024. India plans to import about 1.1 million tonnes of chana this year. Duty-free imports of tur, urad, and masoor have been extended until March 31, 2025, and import duty on desi chana has been removed. These measures aim to reduce pulse prices and increase availability.