Hyderabad: Taking action against reports of rice shortages and unjustified price hikes, the state govt is cracking down on market manipulation. The civil supplies department is strictly enforcing price limits and conducting regular field inspections to protect consumers from artificial scarcity and profiteering.Addressing recent claims by shopkeepers about a shortage of stocks, the department cautioned against unverified rumours allegedly being spread by middlemen to drive up prices. Civil supplies director GV Shyam Prasad Lal urged local retailers not to panic or increase prices due to such artificial pressures. Retailers facing stock shortages have been advised to bypass wholesalers and traders and directly approach their respective district civil supplies officers (DCSOs). They can submit their stock requirements and procure rice directly from millers, he said.Warning of strict action against market irregularities, the govt said anyone involved in illegal hoarding, diverting stocks to the black market or artificially inflating prices would face legal consequences. The department is preparing to invoke the PD Act against offenders. Inspection teams are already catching traders allegedly cheating consumers through weight manipulation, including labelling 25-kg bags as 26 kg, and blatant MRP violations, such as concealing original price tags with fake, higher-priced labels.To protect consumers from sudden price hikes, the civil supplies department continues to enforce maximum retail prices for major rice varieties. BPT and KNM rice have been capped at ₹66 per kg, while premium RNR and Telangana Sona varieties cannot be sold for more than ₹74 per kg. Popular HMT and JSR varieties have been capped at ₹79 per kg to ensure price stability across the state.
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