Ban on wheat exports to stay; record output despite rain

Karam Prakash 

New Delhi, March 29

India, which is the second largest wheat producer in the world, has decided to continue the ban on wheat export so as to ensure domestic supply.

The Food Corporation of India (FCI), the country’s nodal agency for the procurement of food grains, said India wouldn’t lift the ban on the export of wheat until the nation fulfilled its own requirement of wheat and stock reached a “comfortable position”.

Ashok K Meena, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), FCI, while addressing a press conference, said, “Wheat ban (on export) will continue to ensure food security in the country. No relaxation in the ban until India completes its wheat procurement this season, which has already started.”

The Union Government, in May, last year, had banned the wheat exports to control the rising prices, after a slight fall in domestic production and a sharp decline in the FCI’s procurement for the central pool.

Meena said the FCI’s opening balance of the wheat stock for April would stand at 84 lakh metric tonnes. In fact, the operation wheat stock reserve should be at 44.6 lakh metric tonnes while the strategic wheat reserve should be 30 lakh metric tonnes – according to current Foodgrains Stocking Norms.

Meanwhile, Meena, amid the rising concerns of a decline in wheat production owing to the rain and hailstorm — in major wheat-producing states – said India was set to harvest record wheat production of 112.8 million tonnes, this season.

“There have been reports of crop damage due to rain in some states; however, there will be no impact on the quantity. Rain is a cause of concern for wheat quality but accompanying low temperatures with rain had favoured the wheat crop,” said Meena.

As to any relaxation to the moisture content during procurement, given the recent rain, Meena said there was no plan for any relaxation in the norms as of now; however, a fixed protocol would be followed to relax the norms. “Farmers should dry their wheat produce before bringing it to the market,” said Meena.