5 States to Procure 1 Lakh Tonnes of Tur from Buffer to Check Pulse Prices

New Delhi: The Centre on Tuesday said five states, including Bihar, have shown interest to buy a total of 1 lakh tonne of tur from its buffer stock for retail sale at a subsidised rate, in order to check rise in prices of pulses. Besides, the government has also decided to release 40,000 tonnes of tur from the buffer stock in open market sale (OMS) in small lots, so that the releases may reach the retail market at a faster pace and help in cooling off rising prices, it said in a statement.

Pulses are being offered to states from buffer stock at minimum support price (MSP) in bulk as well as retail packs under a new mechanism introduced in September. The intervention, the consumer affairs ministry said, comes amid a rise in retail prices of pulses in the last fortnight despite nearing kharif harvest of tur and urad.