The price caps come amid concerns over artificial scarcity, price manipulation and exploitative practices in the rice trade.

HYDERABAD: Amid concerns over overcharging and price manipulation in the rice trade, the Civil Supplies department has set maximum retail prices (MRPs) for three popular rice varieties and directed millers and traders across the state to follow the prescribed rates.

Under the new regulations, BPT/KNM rice is priced at Rs 66 per kg, premium RNR/Telangana Sona at Rs 74 per kg, and HMT/JSR at Rs 79 per kg. Millers and traders must prominently print the MRPs on all 26-kg packaged rice bags to ensure transparency and prevent consumers from being overcharged.

The price caps come amid concerns over artificial scarcity, price manipulation and exploitative practices in the rice trade. Acting on the directions of Civil Supplies Commissioner M Stephen Raveendra, the Enforcement Task Force (ETF) and the Legal Metrology department conducted a statewide enforcement drive from October 29 to November 5.

During the week-long drive, ETF teams carried out 1,141 surprise inspections at rice mills, wholesale outlets and retail shops. They registered 55 cases and 35 criminal cases against entities found violating the prescribed norms.

The Legal Metrology department separately conducted 1,545 inspections across the state and booked 280 cases against traders found engaging in practices intended to cheat consumers.

The inspections uncovered several irregularities, including weight manipulation, with traders allegedly labelling 25-kg rice bags as weighing 26 kg. Officials also found traders covering the original manufacturers’ prices with stickers displaying much higher rates. Other violations included hoarding Public Distribution System (PDS) rice and operating without mandatory GST and FSSAI licences.

The department has warned that habitual offenders involved in hoarding PDS rice and manipulating market prices could face action under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act. They could also face prosecution and imprisonment under the Essential Commodities Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Published Date: November 7, 2026