Commerce and Food Minister Piyush Goyal has ruled out any further relaxation of the export ban on wheat, saying India will continue to allow wheat shipments to friendly countries as well as those in serious need of it. He said the country’s production is enough to meet domestic consumption.
The Minister made the comments at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, while responding to questions over the Centre’s wheat exports ban from May 13 until further orders. The Centre later allowed wheat shipments held up at ports when the ban was imposed to exported.
“Indian wheat exports are less than 1 per cent of world trade and our export regulation should not affect global markets. We continue to allow exports to vulnerable countries and neighbours,” Goyal said.
Speaking at the forum, the Minister said while 7-8 per cent rise in wheat production was expected this year, there was a loss in yield due to a severe heatwave (during March) that led to an early harvest. “Given this situation, what we are producing is just about enough for domestic consumption,” Goyal was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Food Ministry.
He also said India was never a traditional player in the international wheat market and export of the grain began only about two years ago. Last year, the country exported a record 7.75 million tonnes of wheat with a huge quantity being shipped during February and March in view of the war between Russia-Ukraine.