The food ministry has suggested easing export limits on wheat products like aata, maida, and sooji after a nearly three and a half year hiatus, with inflation at a record low of 0.3%. It has recommended allowing such shipments of up to one million tonnes (MT) in a letter to the trade department.
The government has taken "necessary action" in response to the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India's request to permit the export of wheat products due to the "prevailing surplus and strong production outlook."
According to sources, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) launched the open market sale scheme (OMSS) of wheat for large purchasers, including flour millers.
The offer of 2 lakh tonnes at Rs 2,550 a quintal was met with a lackluster response, with about 70,000 tonnes sold through e action. They went on to say that this shows there is enough wheat available in the market and that even wholesale prices have decreased by about 12% from the previous year.
In contrast to the buffer requirement of 20.5 MT for January 1, 2026, FCI now possesses about 30.5 MT of wheat storage. The president of the Roller Flour Millers Federation, Navneet Chitlangia, stated that India had a bumper wheat crop this season and that they expect another great harvest in the upcoming season due to a favorable monsoon.
He stated, "We have asked the government to lift the restrictions on wheat product exports in light of the robust domestic production so that India may reclaim its traditional markets across the globe."
India used to ship flour, maida, sooji, and other goods to countries in Africa, the Gulf, and South Asia prior to the export prohibition on wheat products.
Due to worries about domestic food security, a decline in production, and growing inflation, exports of wheat and its products were prohibited in May.
