Government sets `30-day and 200 tonne' stockholding limit for sugar

The government has fixed a limit of 200 tonnes for sugar stocks held by dealers and directed them to sell supplies within 30 days of purchasing the commodity in a bid to curtail rising prices of the commodity.

The government has issued an order under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 imposing stock holding limit of 30 days from the date of receipt of stocks by a recognised dealer and turnover limits of between 10,000 quintals for recognised dealers who import sugar from outside West Bengal, according to a government release.

For others, the stockholding limit will be 2,000 quintals.

''The stockholding and turnover limits shall not apply to the holding or keeping of stock of sugar on government account; or by recognised dealers nominated by a state government or an officer authorised by it to hold stock for distribution through fair price shops; or by the Food Corporation of India,'' the government release said.

The stockholding and turnover limits will also not apply to sugar importers under the Open General Licence.

The state governments and the union territory administrations have been authorised to fix stockholding and turnover limits higher than the limits fixed by the central government in their respective states/union territories, the release added.

''To give sufficient time to the state governments to issue/renew necessary licences to recognised dealers of sugar, it has been provided that the order will come into force after 15 days of its publication in the official gazette for a period of four months,'' the release added.