A few weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that “India can feed the whole world with its grain”, wheat exports were banned with immediate effect on Saturday to control rising domestic prices.
The government’s notification banning exports said, “There has been a sudden jump in global wheat prices due to several reasons, as a result of which the food security of India, neighboring and other vulnerable countries is at risk.”
On this subject, the ministry says that only those export shipments will be allowed for which the letter of credit was issued yesterday or before.
On this matter, DGFT said, “The export policy of wheat is banned with immediate effect. It also clarified that export of wheat will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Government of India to other countries to meet their food security needs and based on the request of their governments.”
At the same time, let us tell you that when Russia attacked Ukraine in late February, there was a huge drop in shipments from the Black Sea region, after which global consumers turned to India, the world’s second largest wheat producer after China, to supply wheat. looked towards.
India has taken the decision to limit the export of wheat after heavy crop loss due to heat in March. Inflation, which reached 7.79 percent in April, is also putting pressure on the government.
Last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said during talks with US President Joe Biden that he would offer to supply India’s food reserves to the world if the World Trade Organization (WTO) allows.
Addressing an event in Gujarat, Modi had said that due to the war in Ukraine, food stocks in different parts of the world are reducing.
Soon after India banned wheat exports on Saturday, Twitter users reminded the government of comments that PM Modi had last month. People have remembered similar actions on the export of vaccine and Remedacivir last year.
TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale said on Twitter that, “On 13th Apr, Modi said “India can feed the world if WTO allows it”. Today, India has banned wheat exports. Same with vaccines – Modi exported them when India faced a shortage. And then banned exports. He’ll do anything for his personal PR. And now, no one takes him seriously.”
Congress’s National Media Coordinator Vinay Kumar Dokania also pulled up the government over the decision. He said, “#remdesivir-Modi exported them before analysing Indian need Vaccines-Modi exported in bulk leaving a huge shortage in India that caused 2nd Covid wave Wheat-Modi made huge claims at WTO to export wheat, had to later ban Exports citing large shortage. Ye PM hai Ya PR Manager?”