CHANDIGARH - With a view to checking hoarding of essential commodities, the Haryana government Wednesday introduced a control order that made it mandatory for all retailers and wholesalers to declare their stocks.

This control order comes under the clause 10 of the Haryana Prevention of Hoarding and Maintenance of Quality Order, 1977, to prevent the hoarding of essential commodities and to ensure their better supply in the market.

“Minimum limits for declaration of stocks have been prescribed and these orders cover all wholesalers and retailers of the essential commodities,” a spokesman of the food and supplies department said here Wednesday.

He said the wheat dealers, including wholesalers, retailers, distributing agents and selling agents that have stocks of wheat in excess of 1,000 quintals, would have to declare their stocks.

In case of rice dealers, those who have in exxcess of 250 quintals have to declare stocks. The limit is 25 quintals for rice retailers.

Similar stock limits have been announced for dealers of pulses, sugar, edible oils and oil seeds.

“There is no requirement of any kind of license for any trader and there is also no set upper limit for the procurement of stocks. The traders only need to make a simple declaration in the prescribed form to the food and supply officer concerned about the stock held above the limit,” the spokesman said.

He said there was no restriction on the interstate movement of these commodities.