Wheat product export policy under review

NEW DELHI: The government is reviewing the wheat product export policy following the paltry exports of wheat products at a time when India is making it big in the global trade of wheat and rice.
"We are reviewing the entire policy related to wheat product exports and relevant steps will be taken to give a push to the trade in the commodity which has not picked up so far," said Food Minister Shanta Kumar. One of the issues under consideration is the inland transport charges reimbursement which is available for wheat and rice but not for wheat product exports.
The sale of wheat to product exporters is at market price for later reimbursement of the differential with export price. The mechanism which has been applicable in case of product exports since November 2001, was introduced for direct wheat and rice exports too last month only to be reversed.
When queried about this dichotomy between wheat and rice exports, on the one hand, and wheat product exports on the other, the minister said the matter is being reviewed.
While the target is to export 15 million tonnes of wheat and rice in 2002-03, efforts will also be made to give a filip to exports of wheat products like maida, he added.
Government had set a target to export two million tonnes wheat as products in July last year, however after the final clearance given in November, acutal exports have been a paltry 10,000 tonnes.