Sky-rocketing pulses prices: Merchants warned against hoarding

Jamshedpur, Oct. 24: With the sudden spurt in prices of pulses and cereals in the last few days, the East Singhbhum district administration has warned grain merchants of stringent action if they are found indulging in hoarding of food grains. The administration has also instructed the grain merchants to inform them of the available stock of pulses and cereals.

Dalbhum SDO Alok Kumar gave these instructions during a meeting with representatives of Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Jamshedpur Chamber of Commerce delegation.

Chairing a meeting of merchants, Kumar said that dealers and shopkeepers were indulging in artificial shortage of cereals and pulses for illegal profit-making through hoarding. Some of them are selling these products at unreasonable prices.

He noted that traders cannot stock huge quantities of food under the Essential Commodities Act. As per the Act, all shops must display the stock of food grains and prices of food grains. The department would soon conduct inspection at shops and warehouses and will initiate action against shops that fail to display a proper list and maintain stock registers. He asked the traders to display a board in front of their shops about the daily stock and prices of food grains.

Prabhakar Singh, SCCI honorary general secretary, vice-president Nandkisore Agarwal, Vijay Anand Munka, secretary, Nitesh Dhoot, Deepak Bhalotia, Satya Narayan Agarwal, Agricultural Market Committee secretary Rahul Kumar Jamshedpur Chamber president Mohanlal Agarwal, and wholesalers Umesh Gupta, Kunjbihari, Arun Agrawal were present at the meeting.