Govt allows export of 50,000 tn of foodgrains to Oman

India today allowed the export of 50,000 tonne of wheat and non-basmati rice to Oman on diplomatic grounds.

"We have cleared export of 40,000 tonne of wheat and 10,000 tonne of non-basmati rice to Oman through a diplomatic channel," Food Minister K V Thomas said here.

Yesterday, the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee-headed Empowered Group of Ministers on Food (EGoM) permitted the export of one million tonne of wheat and non-basmati rice to neighbouring countries on a government-to-government basis.  

"Out of one million tonnes, 50,000 tonne of wheat and non-basmati rice will be exported to Oman," Thomas said.  

Facing the problem of overflowing foodgrain stocks, India lifted an over three-year-old ban on the export of non-basmati rice yesterday and allowed the shipment of one million tonne of grain.    

India, the world's second-largest producer of wheat and rice, held stocks of 64.12 million tonne of foodgrains as on July 1, which is more than double the buffer stock norm.

According to official data, the country is estimated to have harvested a record 84.27 million tonne of wheat and 94.11 million tonne of rice in the 2010-11 crop year.