"The government's efforts have paid off and local prices have fallen, giving relief to consumers and a wide range of industries, including bread and biscuit makers," said Pramod Kumar, president of the Roller Flour Millers' Federation of India. "The wheat export ban must continue," he said. India's new season wheat has just started arriving on the market and the harvest will gather momentum in the next few weeks. Last month India estimated wheat production in 2023 could rebound to a record 112.2 million tonnes, but some farmers and industry officials are less optimistic due to a sudden rise in temperatures in the past few weeks. Last year's small crop size led to a 53% drop in government purchases to 18.8 million tonnes, pushing up local prices. The Food Corporation of India buys wheat to run the world's biggest food welfare programme and to keep a sufficient stockpile to meet any emergency requirements. (Reporting by Mayank Bhardwaj; Editing by Jan Harvey)
Twitter: @MayankBhardwaj9; Reuters Messaging: mayank.bhardwaj.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) By Mayank Bhardwaj
NEW DELHI, March 16 (Reuters) - India should extend a
ban on wheat exports in place since last year to help ensure
lower domestic prices and sufficient stocks for consumers, a
flour millers' industry body said on Thursday.
Exports of the grain from India, the world's second biggest
producer, surged after Russia's invasion of Ukraine boosted
global prices, but a sudden rise in temperatures in March 2022
shrivelled the crop and cut yields, pushing local prices higher.
India imposed a ban in May last year, within days of
promising to supply large quantities of the grain to a host of
countries reeling from sky-high prices and severe shortages of
the staple.
While there is no specific date for the ban to expire,
government and industry sources have said it is scheduled to be
reviewed next month. Reuters last month reported India was
considering extending its term.
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