The Centre on Tuesday said wheat
shipments awaiting custom clearance will be allowed to be exported. This
follows the government's sudden decision to ban overseas sales of the food
grain on 13 May.
In a clarification today, the government
said consignments that have been handed over to customs and have been
registered in the systems before 13 May will be allowed to be shipped out.
The move will bring some respite for
merchants who had seen huge wheat consignments stuck at Indian ports following
the export ban. The union government banned overseas sales saying that a sudden
spike in prices of wheat has sparked food security concerns in India and
neighbouring countries.
Wheat prices have been surging after the
Ukraine war impacted nearly a third of the global exports.
“It has been decided that wherever wheat
consignments have been handed over to Customs for examination and have been
registered into their systems on or prior to 13.5.2022, such consignments would
be allowed to be exported," the commerce and industry ministry said on
Tuesday.
The Centre also said that it has allowed
export of 61,500 tonne wheat to Egypt, with about
44,340 MT of wheat already been loaded. The decision was made following a
request by the Egyptian government, the commerce and industry ministry said.
Egypt, among the biggest importers of
wheat from the Black Sea region, had turned to India after the war in Ukraine
disputed supplies.