Over 15,000 tonnes of pulses seized from hoarders in 4 states

NEW DELHI: Intensifying crackdown against hoarding, four states including Maharashtra and Karnataka today seized over 15,000 tonnes of pulses, while prices saw a modest dip in some parts of the country.

This takes the total seizure of pulses so far to 50,656.79 tonnes, recovered in 3,149 raids carried out in 10 states. The seized lentils will be offloaded in the market to boost supply.

"Raids to check hoarding are continuing in various states. Today, four states reported that they have seized 15,335.95 tonnes of pulses, mostly imported tur dal," a senior Consumer Affairs Ministry official told PTI.

Of which, about 7,033 tonnes of lentils were seized from Maharashtra, 5,487.74 tonnes from Karnataka, 2,051 tonnes from Rajasthan and 764.07 tonnes from Haryana, according to the statement issued by the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

"As a result of action taken by states, there has been a decrease of about Rs 200/quintal in mandi rates in Mumbai and also in futures trading of chana," the Ministry said.

Retail prices of pulses have also declined in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, it added.

So far, the largest quantity of pulses has been seized in Maharashtra at 30,373 tonnes, followed by Karnataka (5,967 tonnes), Chhattisgarh (4,525 tonnes), Telangana (2,546 tonnes), Madhya Pradesh (2,295 tonnes), Rajasthan (2151 tonnes), Haryana (1,932 tonnes), Andhra Pradesh (859.87 tonnes), Tamil Nadu (4.32 tonnes) and Himachal Pradesh (2.44 tonnes).

Raids are being carried out after state governments were exhorted to intensify action against hoarding.

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley met importers to discuss problems faced by them in procuring pulses from the global market.

Dal prices have risen across the country due to a shortfall in domestic output by 2 million tonnes in 2014-15 hit by poor rains. There is also global shortage of lentils.