Govt to bar duty-free pvt wheat imports after Dec

The government will not allow duty-free private wheat imports beyond December 31, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar said today.

"There is no need to extend duty-free private imports beyond December," Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of a seminar on agricultural biotechnology.

The minister also said the government will announce the minimum support price for wheat next week.

"The agriculture department has given a proposal for minimum support price for all rabi crops...It will be taken up in the next cabinet meeting," Pawar said.

The step aims to ensure that farmers sow more wheat and government procurement does not fall short.

Wheat sowing will start in October and the harvest will begin from March.

The minister also said further wheat imports on the government account are unlikely.

He said wheat imports that are coming in will be enough to meet the buffer requirement for next year.

As on April 1, the government should at least have 4 million tonne wheat to meet its buffer needs. This year, the government is importing 5.5 million tonne wheat to shore up buffer stocks and ensure adequate supplies for state-run welfare schemes.

Pawar said the government also has no plans to start open market sale of wheat.

"Why should the government take responsibility of private millers...We have already allowed private players to import duty-free wheat," he said.