Despite curbs, 24-lakh tonne wheat exported in 3 months

New Delhi, October 23

India’s wheat exports have seen a miniscule rise of 10 per cent during this calendar year over last year even as the government imposed a ban on shipments of the grain to other countries five months back to curb domestic prices.

According to the Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs data, the country exported 24.08 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat between May 15 and September 30.

This was 10.3 per cent more than 21.83 lakh metric tonnes of wheat which was exported between April 1, 2021 and May 14, 2021.

In May this year, India had restricted export of wheat to enhance domestic availability. In September, it had also banned export of broken rice and imposed a 20 per cent export duty on non-basmati rice to increase domestic supplies amid a fall in area under paddy crop in the current kharif season.

Food security concerns had led to imposition of curbs on exports of wheat, official sources said. Recently, India also justified its decision to ban export of wheat and rice at a World Trade Organisation meeting, despite many countries raising concerns that New Delhi’s decision could have an adverse impact on importing nations, mainly in Africa. —IANS