The Centre on Thursday tightened the stock limit on wheat for wholesalers, retailers and processors to keep prices under check and asserted that there is ample stock of food grain in the country.
Wheat is grown in rabi (winter sown) season. The harvesting of new crop starts from late March.
As per the revised stock limit to be applicable till March 31, the government said traders/ wholesalers can keep only 250 tonnes of wheat as against the earlier norm of 1,000 tonnes.
For retailers, the stock limit has been revised to 4 tonnes for each retail outlet. The limit was 5 tonnes earlier.
"As part of continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat, Central Government has decided to revise the Wheat Stock limit applicable until 31st March 2025," an official statement said.
For big chain retailers, the stock limit will be 4 metric tonnes (MT) for each outlet subject to maximum quantity of (4 multiplied by total number of outlets) MT stock at all their outlets & depots put together.
Processors can keep 50 per cent of Monthly Installed Capacity (MIC) multiplied by remaining months till April 2025, it added.
All wheat stocking entities are required to register on the wheat stock limit portal and update the stock position on every Friday.
Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under Section 6 & 7 of the Essential Commodities Act,1955, the government asserted.
"In case the stocks held by above entities are higher than the above-prescribed limit, they shall have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of issue of the notification," it added.
The Department of Food and Public Distribution said it is maintaining a close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
The government said it takes suitable appropriate interventions to ensure price stability for the consumers in the country..
A total production of 1132 lakh tonnes of wheat was recorded during Rabi 2024 and there is ample availability of wheat in the country, the statement said.
In order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation, the Government of India imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to traders/Wholesalers, Retailers, Big Chain Retailers and Processors in all States and Union Territories.
The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2024 was issued on June 24, 2024, and revised on September 9, 2024, & on December 11, 2024, and was applicable for all States and Union Territories.
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