Centre Urged To Lift Ban On Wheat Export To Iran

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) has asked the Centre to lift the ban on wheat exports to Iraq since the traders had taken the initiative of installing cleaning facilities at Kandla port.

It has also demanded fixation of single export price for all destinations by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

"The exporters had have now taken the initiative to install cleaning facilities at Kandla port and also at Iraq and are fully prepared to take the risk of exporting wheat to the Gulf nation," said Anil Agarwal, chairman of Assocham's expert committee on international trade.

In a note submitted to food minister Shanta Kumar, he said Iraq had a huge market for Indian wheat and a quick lifting of the ban will help rebuild the lost image of the country's exporters.

Agarwal added that there should not be any differentiation in export price from country to country and FCI should have one export price for all destinations.

"STC/FCI had charged Rs 190 per tonne extra from exporters to Iraq. This amount should be refunded as traders had to sell the rejected shipments at a much lower price elsewhere in the Gulf region," he said.