Food and supplies dept to deliver goods against hoarders

LUDHIANA: Hoarders in the state may soon have to mend their ways. With the prices of sugar and pulses rising, Punjab���s department of food and supplies is considering getting strict against traders keeping too much stock and issuing notifications regarding the maximum limit of goods they can store.
Previously, there were no such limits and traders had the right to store as much as they felt like.The department is expected to announce the restrictions on Monday.
Union minister of agriculture, Sharad Pawar, had recently expressed fears about the rise in sugar prices. That had led to homemakers around the country worrying that household budgets might get affected.
Sources in the food and supplies department stated that as the prices of sugar were expected to rise with the festive season approaching and some traders had started hoarding the commodity with a view to sell it later at a higher profit. They stated that now, traders would be dealt with strictly if they stock goods in excess of set limits.
Director of Punjab food and supplies department, SP Singh, told TOI that earlier, there were no limits on stocks that a trader could keep. He said more steps will be taken to check price rise.