Centre directs states to disclose stock to check unfair practices

The Union Food Ministry on Tuesday directed state governments to ensure compliance with the June 12 wheat stock limit order and ensure disclosure of stocks, thereby checking unfair trade practices.

In a virtual meeting with state food secretaries, Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra asked state governments to obtain disclosures of wheat stock held by wholesalers/traders, retailers, big chain retailers and processors to check the unfair practices and to bring transparency in the availability of wheat.

The central government on June 12 notified stock limits on wheat for wholesalers, traders, retailers, big chain retailers and processors till March 31, 2024. It also decided to offload wheat and rice under Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).

"The measures were aimed at cooling down the prices and prevent hoarding and speculation," an official statement said.

A user manual regarding submitting the stock has also been shared with state governments for ease of filling up the data on the portal (evegoils.nic.in) of the Department of Food and Public Distribution.

In case the stocks held by them are higher than the prescribed limit, then they have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 30 days of the issue of this notification.

States/UTs have been given directions to ensure that all relevant entities subject to the stock limits declare and update the stock position of wheat regularly every Friday on the said portal and to immediately issue instructions for strict compliance of the stock limit as per the June 12 order.

Access to the above portal will be given to the above entities to make disclosure of stocks and state government authorities will have access to monitoring of stocks disclosed on the portal, the statement said.

During the meeting, the Centre also informed about the decision of offloading the wheat (15 lakh tonne in the first phase) and rice under the OMSS which are further expected to cool down the rising price of wheat and rice along with the products derived from them.

"These steps are taken to ensure consumers get the food grains like wheat and rice at affordable price," the statement added.