New Delhi, Oct. 18 (PTI): The Centre today imposed stock limits on pulses held by licensed food processors, importers, exporters as well as large departmental retailers such as Big Bazaar to prevent the hoarding of pulses and check price rise.

It has also directed state governments to intensify anti-hoarding operations and keep a check on black-marketing and profiteering by traders.

The stock limits on holding of pulses have been in place for the last few years. Recently, while extending the stock limits on the commodity for one more year till September 2016, the government had exempted these four categories.

"To increase availability and prevent hoarding of pulses, the government amended the central order under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 with immediate effect to enable the imposition of stock limits on pulses sourced from imports, stocks held by exporters stocks to be used as raw-materials by licensed food processors and stocks of large departmental retailers," the food ministry said.

The government has now withdrawn exemptions to stocks of pulses held by these four categories, it added.

The ministry said the cabinet secretary had also been reviewing the price situation on a daily basis. "He directed all departments to keep a close watch on prices of essential commodities, especially pulses and work in close coordination with all states to control price rise."

"All states have been advised to intensify anti-hoarding operations and keep in check black-marketing and profiteering by traders," it added.

The prices of pulses have risen unabated for the past few months because of a fall in domestic output by about 2 million tonnes (mt) to 17.20mt in 2014-15 crop year (July-June) owing to deficient monsoon and unseasonal rains.

Retail prices of tur dal have risen up to Rs 190 per kg in most parts of the country from Rs 85 per kg a year ago.

Similarly, urad dal prices rose to nearly Rs 190 per kg from Rs 100 per kg in the year-ago period.