New Delhi:  The Indian government has authorized the export of specified quantities of wheat, wheat flour, and broken rice to five countries, including Bhutan, Mali, and Indonesia. The permission covers shipments through the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL).

To Bhutan, the government notification has allowed export of 14,184 tonnes of wheat grain, 5,326 tonnes of atta, 15.226 tonnes of maida/semoline, and 48,804 tonnes of broken rice.

“Broken rice shipments are also permitted to Mali (1 lakh tonnes), Senegal (5 lakh tonnes in six months), Gambia (50,000 tonnes in six months), and Indonesia (2 lakh tonnes),”

This export is permitted through the National Cooperative Exports Limited.

India currently has restrictions of varying degrees on all varieties of rice that it ships overseas. The Union government in July had placed a ban on export of non-basmati rice, followed by a $1200-price floor on the export of basmati rice and a 20% duty on export of parboiled rice in August. India had also banned overseas sales of the broken variety last year.

In May last year, India banned wheat exports with immediate effect as part of measures to control rising domestic prices.

Several WTO member states have questioned India on how long it intends to keep these bans going. India has insisted the bans are crucial for the food security of its 1.4 billion people.