Bhubaneswar: The Orissa government has lifted stockholding limits on pulses, edible oilseeds and edible oils in view of the adequate supply and drop in prices.
“The stockholding limits on pulses have been lifted with immediate effect, as there is no shortage of pulses in the country and prices have fallen. A few days ago, we have issued an order to this effect,” said a senior official of food supplies and consumer welfare department here Monday. Under the Essential Commodities Act, states have been empowered to impose stockholding limits. “As prices had fallen below the minimum support price (MSP) level, the restriction has been lifted,” said the senior official.
With pulses production in 2016-17 reaching an all-time high of over 22 million tonnes (mt), the prices of most pulses — particularly tur, moong and masoor — have dropped below the minimum support price (MSP). Hence the government was encouraged to take this step, official sources said.
Prior to the new order, a wholesaler was allowed to store upto 2,000 quintal of pulses, 1,000 quintal of edible oil seeds and 500 quintal of edible oils. Similarly, retailers were allowed to stock up to 50 quintal each of pulses and edible oil seeds and 20 quintal
of oils.
The state government has also lifted the mandatory requirement of licence to start trading on pulses, edible oil seeds and edible oils. Now, anyone can sell these commodities without a licence. The Union Government has kept these goods out of the purview of the Good and Services Tax (GST), and following this, the state has lifted the restrictions.
Earlier, the government was collecting a licence fee of `10,000 from the importer, `7,500 from the producer, `5,000 from the wholesaler and `500 from the retailer along with security deposits of `20,000, `15,000, `10,000 and `1,000 respectively. The renewal fee for an importer was `7,500, while it was `5,625 for producer, `3,750 for wholesaler and `350 for retailer. There were about 1,900 licence-holding traders in the state.
The decision of the government to lift stock limits is prudent and timely, said general secretary of All Orissa Traders’ Association Sudhakar Panda. “We thank the government for taking this step, which not only helps the traders but also the consumers.
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