Question : Ban on Wheat Export

(a) whether the Government has completely banned the export of wheat;
(b) if so, the quantity of wheat and wheat flour exported from the country so far after the ban;
(c) whether the Government proposes to lift the ban on the export of wheat and if so, the details thereof;
(d) the wheat stock currently available with the Government;
(e) whether the Government has any data regarding the quantity of private wheat stock available in the country;
(f) whether the Government proposes to implement any incentive scheme for the farmers to promote the production of wheat; and
(g) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
(SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)
(a): The Government, on 13th May, 2022, has amended the export policy of wheat from ‘Free’ to ‘Prohibited’. Export of wheat shall be allowed under the following conditions:

(i) As a transitional arrangement, export will be allowed in case of shipments where Irrevocable Letter of Credit (ICLC) has been issued on or before the date of this Notification, subject to submission of documentary evidence as prescribed; or

(ii) Export will also be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Government to other countries to meet their food security needs and based on the request of their governments.

(b) : The total quantity of wheat exported after imposition of ‘prohibition’ on export of wheat i.e. from 14th May, 2022 till 14th July, 2022 is 14.76 Lakh Metric Tonne (LMT). With effect from 6th July, 2022, the export policy of wheat flour (atta) though ‘Free’, but export shall be subject to recommendation of Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on export of wheat. The export of wheat flour (atta) from 7th July, 2022 till 14th July, 2022 is 29,460 MT.

(c) : The Central Government is closely monitoring the situation with regard to Wheat at the domestic and international level and no decision on lifting the ban has been taken.

(d) : The total Wheat currently available with the Central Pool Stock of the Country is 285.10 LMT as on 01.07.2022.

(e) : The Government has no data regarding the quantity of private wheat stock available in the country.

(f)&(g) : Under the National Food Security Mission( NFSM)programme, NFSM-Wheat programme to increase the production of wheat through area expansion and productivity enhancement; restoring soil fertility and productivity; and enhancing farm level economy is undertaken. The NFSM-Wheat is being implemented in 124 districts of 10 states & 2 UTs viz. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Under NFSM, assistance for wheat is provided to the farmers for interventions viz. cluster demonstrations on improved package of practices, demonstrations on cropping system, Seed distribution of High Yielding Varieties (HYVs), improved farm machineries/resource conservation machineries/tools, efficient water application tools, plant protection measures, nutrient management/soil ameliorants, processing & post-harvest equipments and cropping system based trainings to the farmers etc.
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