India to export 29,000 tn of wheat flour to Maldives

India has partly relaxed its 16-month-old ban on the export of wheat flour with its decision to ship 29,177 tonnes of the commodity to the Maldives, amid huge reserves in the second-highest wheat-producing nation in the world.

“The prohibition imposed on export of wheat flour shall not be applicable to export of 29,177 tonnes of wheat flour in 2009-10 to Maldives through PEC,” the Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a notification.

India has procured a whopping 22.68 million tonnes of wheat from 12 states so far this rabi season, starting April.

The shipment of wheat flour to Maldives followed the announcement by Minister of State for Food and Public Distribution Akhilesh Prasad Singh in December 2008 to export up to two million tonnes of wheat to friendly nations.

The government had earlier declared to export 10,000 tonnes of wheat to Nepal and 950 tonnes to Myanmar through diplomatic routes.

India had banned the export of wheat in February 2007 and that of wheat flours in October that year to prop up domestic availability and keep prices under control.