India lifts export ban on wheat flour, related products with immediate effect

The Central Government on Monday lifted the export ban on wheat flour and related products, including maida, semolina, wholewheat atta and resultant atta, with immediate effect.

The government amended the Export Policy of Wheat Flour and Related Products provision, removing the earlier prohibition on their overseas shipments, according to an official release.

The Centre had decided to halt wheat exports on July 12, 2022 and had only partially opened up the earlier this year, where they had set the upper limit at 5 million tonnes per annum.


The previous halt had come in after local prices of wheat and atta had risen sharply as India had stepped up exports of the cereal following a nearly 40% rally in global rates in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The war had also hampered logistics in the Black Sea region with vessels being struck by Ukraine and Russia, disrupting wheat shipments during the peak marketing season for Black Sea exports during the year. The region accounts for about a quarter of all wheat trade, India has since tried to fill the vacuum.

The amendment allows for free exports of Wheat flour and its concomitant products for the first time since 2022.