New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the proposal for amendment of the policy of exemption for wheat or Meslin flour (HS Code 1101) from export restrictions/ ban.
The approval will now allow putting a restriction on the export of wheat flour which will ensure a curb on its rising prices and ensure food security for the most vulnerable sections of the society. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) shall issue a notification to this effect.
Earlier, there was a policy not to prohibit or put any restrictions on the export of wheat flour. Therefore, a partial modification of the policy was required by withdrawing the exemption from ban/ restrictions on its export in order to ensure food security and put a check on its mounting prices in the country.
It may be recalled that Russia and Ukraine are the major exporters of wheat accounting for around 1/4th of the global wheat trade. The conflict between them led to the global wheat supply chain disruptions increasing the demand for Indian wheat. As a result, the price of wheat in the domestic market showed an increase. In order to ensure food security for 1.4 billion people in the country, the decision was taken to put a prohibition on the export of wheat in May 2022.
However, due to the prohibition on the export of wheat (which was done to put a check on increasing prices in the domestic market and to ensure food security in the country), the demand for wheat flour increased in foreign markets and its exports from India registered a growth of 200% during April-July 2022 compared to the corresponding period in 2021.
The increased demand for wheat flour in the international market led to a significant price rise of wheat flour in the domestic market.
– global bihari bureau
