Latest news with #EssentialCommoditiesAct
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Fake fertiliser racket busted in Meerut; shop, warehouse sealed
A large quantity of adulterated urea, pesticides, and other agricultural chemicals was recovered. The warehouse was sealed on the spot. MEERUT: The agriculture department of Meerut sealed a warehouse and a shop attached to it for selling adulterated fertiliser in Lawar village on Wednesday. The adulteration came to light when Uttam Singh , a farmer from a nearby village, purchased fertiliser from a shop and, suspecting the quality, tested it using a method he learned online. He found it to be fake, said officials. When Singh returned to buy another sack and asked for a bill, the shopkeeper refused, increasing his doubts. He immediately alerted the police and agriculture officials. Upon inspection, the fertiliser was found to be spurious. Agriculture officer (Meerut) Rajeev Kumar Singh told TOI that seven samples were collected, the dealer's licence was revoked, and an FIR under Section 3/7 of the Essential Commodities Act was filed at Incholi police station. Further investigation led officials to a nearby warehouse owned by the same dealer. A large quantity of adulterated urea, pesticides, and other agricultural chemicals was recovered. The warehouse was sealed on the spot.
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Centre to bring stricter law to deal with fake fertilisers
The Centre is preparing to introduce a stricter law to tackle the issue of fake fertilisers and spurious agricultural inputs — a problem that, according to a recent study, accounts for 40% of total sales by value and causes economic losses to farmers by reducing overall output, HT has learnt. The country already has provisions that ban and criminalise sale of counterfeit pesticides and fertilisers, but seizures and crackdowns are not commonplace. The new law will have harsher punishment and target supply chains, an official said. Agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had recently flagged the issue, urging farmers not to overuse agricultural chemicals and limit their use to prescribed limits, apart from warning marketeers of fake fertilisers of stern action. Under current provisions, the federal fertiliser control order 1985 (clause 19) lays down technical specifications for each type of fertiliser approved for farm-use sale, making illegal the marketing of agrochemicals not meeting these standards. However, sale of substandard, fake or adulterated fertilisers is currently punishable under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, a law that is meant to regulate and maintain supply of goods, and often used to crack down on hoarding and tame inflation. 'The government wants to bring a strict law that is specifically meant to penalise sale of illegal and fake fertilisers and farm chemicals,' the official said. Fake products cut over 10 million tonnes of potential agricultural output in the world's most populous country, according to a 2015 study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI). The value of illegal pesticides, for instance, has been expanding by nearly 20% a year, according to the study's findings. Farmers often complain of lack of accountability for the spurious sales. In 2023, the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers, while uncovering the diversion of subsidised urea, had seized 70,000 bags of potentially counterfeit products. Counterfeiters manage to penetrate rural markets by copying packaging and labelling of genuine brands, a second official said. On May 30, the Rajasthan government sealed 34 factories and lodged 12 first information reports on fake fertiliser sales.
India.com
30-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Govt Imposes Wheat Stock Limits On Traders To Keep Prices In Check
New Delhi: The Centre has imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to traders/wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors in order to prevent hoarding and speculation that drives up inflation. "In order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation, the Government of India has imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers, and processors in all states and Union Territories,' the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said on Thursday. The Wheat Stock limit are as under: (i) Traders/Wholesaler: 3000 MT; (ii) Retailer: 10 MT for each Retail outlet. (iii) Big Chain Retailer: upto 10 MT for each retail outlet subject to maximum quantity of (10 multiplied by total no. of outlets) MT. This will be the maximum stock that can be held at all their retail outlets and depots put together. (iv) Processors: 70% of Monthly Installed Capacity (MIC) multiplied by remaining months of FY 2025-26. All wheat stocking entities are required to declare/ update the stock position on every Friday on wheat stock portal ( which will be migrated in due course of time to Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under Section 6 & 7 of Essential Commodities Act,1955. In case the stocks held by above entities are higher than the above prescribed limit, they shall have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of issue of the notification. Officials of Central and State Governments will be closely monitoring enforcement of these stock limits to ensure that no artificial scarcity of wheat is created in the country. Central Government has procured 298.17 LMT wheat (upto 27.05.2025) through State Agencies/FCI which is sufficient to meet requirement of PDS, OWS and other market intervention schemes. The Department of Food and Public Distribution is maintaining a close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country.
India Gazette
29-05-2025
- Business
- India Gazette
Centre imposes wheat stock limits on Traders to manage overall food security
New Delhi [India], May 29 (ANI): In order to manage the overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation, the government has imposed stock limits on wheat applicable to traders, wholesalers, retailers, big chain retailers and processors in all states and Union Territories. The removal of licensing requirements, stock limits and movement restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2025 is issued on May 27 and is applicable until March 31, 2026, for all states and Union Territories, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said in an official statement on Thursday. The Wheat Stock limit are as under: Traders/Wholesaler: 3000 MT; Retailer: 10 MT for each Retail outlet; Big Chain Retailer: upto 10 MT for each retail outlet subject to maximum quantity of (10 multiplied by total no. of outlets) MT. This will be the maximum stock that can be held at all their retail outlets and depots put together; Processors: 70 per cent of Monthly Installed Capacity (MIC) multiplied by remaining months of FY 2025-26. All wheat stocking entities are required to declare the stock position on every Friday on wheat stock portal which will be migrated in due course of time. Any entity which is found to have not registered on the portal or violates the stock limits will be subject to suitable punitive action under Section 6 & 7 of Essential Commodities Act,1955, as per the ministry. In case the stocks held by above entities are higher than the above prescribed limit, they shall have to bring the same to the prescribed stock limits within 15 days of issue of the notification. Officials of Central and State Governments will be closely monitoring enforcement of these stock limits to ensure that no artificial scarcity of wheat is created in the country. The Central government has procured 298.17 LMT wheat (upto 27.05.2025) through state agencies, FCI which is sufficient to meet requirements of PDS, OWS and other market intervention schemes. The Department of Food and Public Distribution is maintaining a close watch over the stock position of wheat to control prices and ensure easy availability in the country. (ANI)
The Print
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Print
Govt extends stock limits on wheat till March 2026 to check hoarding, ensure food security
The stock limit on wheat has been extended despite a record wheat output of 117.50 million tonnes in the 2024-25 crop year (July-June). The Removal of Licensing Requirements, Stock Limits and Movement Restrictions on Specified Foodstuffs (Amendment) Order, 2025, issued on May 27, will remain applicable until March 31, 2026, an official statement said. New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) The government has extended stock limits on wheat for traders, wholesalers, retailers and big chain retailers across the country till March next year to manage food security and prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation. Under the new regulations, traders and wholesalers can stock up to 3,000 tonnes of wheat, while retailers are limited to 10 tonnes for each retail outlet. Big chain retailers can hold up to 10 tonnes per retail outlet, subject to a maximum of 10 multiplied by their total number of outlets across all retail outlets and depots combined. Processors are permitted to stock 70 per cent of their Monthly Installed Capacity multiplied by the remaining months of FY 2025-26. All wheat stocking entities must declare and update their stock position every Friday on the wheat stock portal at which will be migrated to in due course. Entities found not registered on the portal or violating stock limits will face punitive action under Sections 6 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. Those holding stocks above prescribed limits must bring them within permissible levels within 15 days of the notification. Central and state government officials will closely monitor enforcement to prevent artificial wheat scarcity. The Centre has procured 298.17 lakh tonnes of wheat through state agencies and Food Corporation of India up to May 27, 2025, sufficient to meet requirements of the Public Distribution System, Open Market Sale Scheme and other market intervention programmes. The Department of Food and Public Distribution is maintaining close watch over wheat stock positions to control prices and ensure easy availability across the country, the statement added. PTI LUX MR This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
