Govt exempts Bhutan from export ban on 5 food items

NEW DELHI: India has notified its decision to exempt Bhutan from any ban or quantitative restriction on exports of five food items - milk powder, wheat, edible oil, pulses and non-basmati rice.

"Export of above items to Bhutan will be exempted from any ban and without any quantitative restrictions," the commerce ministry said in a notification.

Earlier a joint statement issued at the end of Prime minister Narendra Modi's two-day visit to Bhutan, said: "Government of India conveyed its decision to exempt Bhutan from any ban or quantitative restrictions on exports of following items - milk powder, wheat, edible oil, pulses and non-basmati rice".

At present, India is exporting wheat and rice but overseas sale of edible oil and pulses are banned as the country is net importer of these two commodities.

However, India generally bans or puts quantitative restrictions on exports if there is a shortage of these items in domestic market.

The bilateral trade between the countries stood at USD 488 million in 2013-14.