Declare pulses’ stock, won’t allow anyone to game the system: Consumer Affairs Ministry to importers

By Parikshit Luthra

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs on Thursday asked pulses’ importers to declare stocks after reports of holding up of masoor dal stocks surfaced. Consumer Affairs Secretary Rohit Kumar Singh told CNBC TV18 that the department will not let anyone take undue advantage of the situation.

“We are ensuring no one tries to take undue advantage of the situation by trying to artificially increase prices. We won’t allow anyone to game the system,” he said.

The Ministry has written to Chief Secretaries of all states in this regard. The Ministry has flagged off vans to sell onions at Rs 25 per kg and chana dal at Rs 60 per kg. The discounted onions and chana dal will be available on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

It was expected that September rainfall would bring some relief by reviving kharif pulse crops. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast said that there is up to 40% chance that key pulse procuring states — Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh — can witness deficient rainfall this month, thus resulting in increasing pulse prices.

This article has been republished from CNBCTV 18