Labourers loading wheat at APMC wholesale market outskirts of Ahmedabad on May 17, 2022. 
| Photo Credit: Vijay Soneji

The Centre has amended its wheat export ban order of May 13 to allow export consignments that were registered in the Customs Department’s systems and handed over for examination on or prior to May 13 to be shipped out, the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on Tuesday.

The government also allowed shipment of a wheat consignment headed for Egypt, which was already under loading at the Kandla port, following a request by the Egyptian Government. A bulk of the 61,500 metric tonne wheat consignment had already been loaded for shipping to Egypt. The Centre has now permitted the exporter to load the remaining 17,160 metric tonnes so that the full consignment can sail out from Kandla.

Reiterating the intent behind last week’s ban order, the ministry said the decision would ensure food security and rein in inflation, while maintaining India’s reliability as a supplier as it would help other countries facing food deficits. The order also aimed to provide a clear direction to the wheat market to prevent hoarding of wheat supplies, the ministry asserted.

The export curbs notified last week came within a couple of days of the ministry’s announcement that official delegations would travel to several countries to pitch Indian wheat exports.

The curbs would not apply in cases where prior commitments had been made by private trade through Letters of Credit as well as in situations where permission is granted by the Centre following requests made by the governments of other countries to meet their food security needs.