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NEW DELHI : The Department of Food & Public Distribution has asked states and union territories to enforce stock limit on edible oil and oilseeds without causing any disruption in the supply chain.
The department, which comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution held a meeting with all the states and union territories Tuesday, February 8 for discussing the plan to implement the recent stock limit order of the Centre.
In order to check prices of edible oil and black marketing, Centre had on February 3, 2022, imposed a stock limit on holding edible oils at 30 quintals for retailers and 500 quintals for wholesalers.
The stock limits were imposed on the backdrop of over 24% surge in edible oil prices in last December. High food inflation had pushed India’s retail inflation to a five-month high of 5.59% in December.
"During the meeting, it was emphasised that states/UTs authorities may enforce Stock Limit Quantities Order without causing any disruption in the supply chain and also any undue hardship to bonafide trade," said a statement from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution on Wednesday.
For edible oilseeds, the stock limit was set at 100 quintals for retailers, 2,000 quintals for wholesalers. Processors of edible oilseeds would be able to stock 90 days production of edible oils as per daily input production capacity.
The ministry further said that the measures taken are expected to curtail any unfair practices like hoarding, black marketing, among others, which may lead to any increase in the prices of edible oils. The states and union territories were also briefed about the current international price scenario and its impact on the Indian market, the ministry added.
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