Pulses prices start easing as 82,000 tons seized from hoarders

New Delhi: Over 82,000 tonnes of pulses have been seized so far from hoarders during 8,394 raids carried out by 12 state governments, resulting in a marginal fall in tur and urad dal prices across the country.[caption id=“attachment_1339435” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Falling prices. Reuters[/caption] The states have indicated that seized stock will be made available in retail markets within a week, which will further help to cool down skyrocketing prices. Meanwhile, retail prices of tur dal slipped below Rs 210 per kg and was quoted around Rs 190 today, while wholesale price of the commodity declined to Rs 181, according to the data maintained by the consumer affairs ministry. Urad prices dropped by up to Rs 8 per kg in both retail and wholesale markets across the country. Retail prices of urad was Rs 190, while it was Rs 180 in the wholesale market. “Under de-hoarding operations, 8,394 raids have been conducted so far and 82,462.53 tonnes pulses have been seized across the states,” an official statement said today. Due to the seizure of pulses in 12 states, prices have started showing a downward trend, a senior consumer affairs ministry official said. A maximum quantity of 57,455 tonnes pulses was confiscated from Maharashtra due to which tur dal prices in Mumbai wholesale markets fell to Rs 152 per kg from Rs 200 a week ago, though its impact is yet to peculate into retail markets, the official said. Similarly in Rajasthan and Karnataka, the wholesale prices are showing a declining sign. As per the ministry data, 4,932 tonnes of pulses have been seized in Chhattisgarh, 2,370 tonnes in Madhya Pradesh, 3,330 tonnes in Rajasthan and 2,189 tonnes in Haryana so far. The statement further said that “more states have started selling pulses through government/cooperative outlets. Prices in the wholesale market have also registered declining trends.” As the pulses crisis escalated, the Centre had stepped up the countrywide crackdown on hoarders and black-marketeers to boost domestic supply and control prices. It has taken several other steps to improve domestic supply of pulses. Meanwhile, four state governments including Gujarat have started selling tur dal at a lower price of Rs 120-145 per kg at retail points to provide relief to common man. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are also distributing one kg of tur dal at a highly subsidised rate of Rs 50 through ration shops, while Tamil Nadu is selling urad and Canadian lentils at Rs 30 per kg to all consumers. Pulses prices have risen across the country due to shortfall in domestic output by two million tonnes in 2014-15 due to poor rains. There is also global shortage of lentils. PTI