Centre reduces wheat stock limits to “manage food security”

The Union Food Ministry has further reduced the wheat stock limits for traders, stockists and processors on Tuesday and said the measure is to manage the “overall food security and to prevent hoarding and unscrupulous speculation.” The Centre, however, said there is ample availability of wheat in the country and in 2024-25, the wheat production was 1175.07 lakh metric tonne (LMT).

The Government said as part of “continuous efforts to moderate prices of wheat before the upcoming festive season”, the wheat stock limit is revised until March 31, 2026. For trader/ wholesaler, the limit has been reduced to 2,000 metric tonne (MT) from the existing limit of 3,000 MT. For retailers, 8 MT is the new limit. Earlier, it was 10 MT. For big-chain retailers too, 8 MT for each retail outlet subject to maximum quantity of (8 multiplied by total no. of outlets) MT is the new limit. “This will be the maximum stock that can be held at all their retail outlets and depots put together,” the Government said. For processors, 60% of Monthly Installed Capacity (MIC) multiplied by the remaining months of 2025-26 is the limit. It was 70% of MIC multiplied by remaining months of 2025-26.

The Centre asked all wheat stocking entities to declare or update the stock position on every Friday on the wheat stock portal. “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,” the government warned. “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,” the Food Ministry said.