Indian policy clear about wheat export: Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal

New Delhi: – Reports are being received that Turkey has refused to purchase wheat from India accusing that the Indian wheat is substandard. But the Indian company had despatched this wheat to the Netherlands and not Turkey. It is not clear how the wheat reached Turkey. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said that the Indian policy is clear about wheat export and that wheat sent to one country cannot be exported to another country. By saying that India intends to supply the maximum quantity of the wheat to the needy, poor populations of the world and the populations of its Indian allies, Commerce Minister Goyal said that India would not let anyone exploit the situation.

Russia and Ukraine are the largest exporters of wheat in the world. There is an acute shortage of wheat on the international level, given the conflict between these two countries. At the same time, India has a huge stock of wheat and demands are coming from around the globe. India, which supplied wheat initially, subsequently banned wheat exports. India was forced to take this decision as the country’s wheat prices began to rise. But the demand is gaining ground that India should export wheat. A few countries and even the International Monetary Fund have pleaded with India for this.

But India has not banned wheat exports. The Indian government clarified that there would only be inter-governmental transactions of wheat. Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal explained that the Indian policy states that there should be maximum supply to the needy and poor populations. The traders should not be allowed to exploit the situation. Goyal added that the supply of wheat to allies would be a priority.

No private company will be allowed to export wheat in the future. Commerce Minister Goyal warned that wheat would be exported only with government approval. Meanwhile, in these times of economic crisis created by the Ukraine conflict, India having the necessary stocks of food grain to meet the population’s requirements becomes decisive. Over the last few weeks, the picture is that even the developed countries are struggling on this front. But the Indian importance seems to be increasing on the international level given its capacity to export food grain.