India relaxes ban on wheat exports; allows shipments awaiting customs clearance

The government has announced relaxation on wheat export ban and will allow consignments already registered with customs on or before May 13 to go through,  the commerce ministry announced in a statement on Tuesday.

The wheat consignments handed over to customs for the assessment and registration into their systems on or before May 13 will be approved for export as per the latest update by the government.

M/s Mera International India Pvt. Ltd – the company engaged for export of the wheat to Egypt, had also given a representation for completion of loading of 61,500 MT of wheat of which 44,340 MT of wheat had already been loaded and only 17,160 MT was left to be loaded. The government decided to permit the full consignment of 61,500 MT and allowed it to sail from Kandla to Egypt.

India, the world’s second-biggest wheat producer, has banned wheat exports in a bid to check high domestic prices amid concerns of wheat output being hit by scorching heat waves.

According to the order, the restriction would not apply in cases where prior commitments have been made by private trade through Letter of Credit as well as in situations where permission is granted by the Government of India to other countries to meet their food security needs and on the requests of their governments.

Tags: ban, government, consignments, Kandla port, Egypt, export, wheat, India