Centre Imposes Stock Limit On Wheat Until 31 March 2025

The central government has imposed a stock limit on wheat in all states and union territories until 31 March 2025, with the removal of the Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2024 issued with immediate effect from 24 June 2024.

Through this, the Government has decided to impose stock limits on wheat, applicable to traders, wholesalers, retailers and processors for all states and union territories. This measure ensures that overall food security is managed, it also aims to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs has stated that stock limits will apply individually to each entity. Traders or wholesalers will have a limit of 3,000 MT. Retailers will be limited to 10 MT for each retail outlet and large chain retailers will have the same 10 MT limit per outlet along with a total of 3,000 MT across all their depots. For processors, the limit will be set at 70 per cent of their monthly installed capacity (MIC) multiplied by the remaining months of FY 2024-25.

The respective legal entities are also mandated to declare the stock position and update them regularly on an online portal of the Department of Food and Public Distribution. In case the stock held by the respective entities are higher than the prescribed limits, then they will have to adjust it to the new limits within 30 days of issue of the notification.