Government's Failure to Meet Procurement Targets Results in the Extension of Wheat Export Ban

New Delhi: According to a senior government official, the ban on Wheat export will remain in place for the current year. The ban was initially implemented in May of last year following a decrease in the country's Wheat production.

According to Subodh K Singh, an additional secretary in the Department of Food, India will not be exporting Wheat. He explained that India only exports Wheat when there is a surplus and is not a primary Wheat exporter. Notably, government procurement of Wheat serves as a crucial factor in maintaining wholesale Wheat prices, but this year's procurement is significantly less than the targeted 34 million tonnes, despite the continuing rise in prices.

As of May 21, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has successfully procured an impressive 26.14 million metric tonnes of Wheat on behalf of the government. Based on current trends, it is projected that the total procurement will continue to rise and may reach a whopping 27 million metric tonnes by the end of this year's procurement and harvest season.

According to recent reports, there has been a significant decrease in procurement figures in Uttar Pradesh, the largest Wheat-producing state in the country. This year's numbers indicate a total of around two million tonnes, which is considerably lower than the estimated figure of 3.5 million tonnes.