The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Thursday will decide on allowing more wheat exports from Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns, said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
The Government has been contemplating allowing additional wheat exports of about five million tonnes (mt) as pressure builds up to clear stocks and make storage space for the new crop to be harvested from early April.
So far, the Government has allowed exports of 4.5 mt from the Central pool stocks, of which over two mt have been shipped out by the State-owned entities such as PEC, MMTC and STC.
“The proposal on wheat export is on the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting of the CCEA. Let’s see what will happen,” Pawar told reporters on the sidelines of the Kharif 2013 conference.
More on cards
The CCEA may also decide on giving the private trade access to the Central pool wheat stocks for exports.
As on February 1, wheat stocks in the Central pool stood at 30.80 mt, against the actual requirement of 11.2 m t.
The Government, which is expecting a bumper wheat harvest in the current year, aims to procure a record 44 mt in the 2013-14 rabi marketing year starting April.