India and Pakistan to Export Wheat Following Bumper Harvest

The high yield of wheat this season in India and Pakistan has prompted them to allow the grain to be exported from this month onwards. Both countries riding high on the bumper harvest will be exporting wheat after many years of wheat shortage and lower harvests.

According to Pakistan’s food and agriculture ministry, bringing higher acreage of land under cultivation and perfect climatic conditions have helped the country to hope for a higher yield this year around. Pakistan consumes about 22mn tons of wheat per annum, farmers are expecting a bumper crop this year at about 24mn tons.

On the other hand, bumper harvests consecutively for the second year have assisted India to augment its stockpiles for about 30mn tons until early this month, increasing by two-thirds from a year ago. India procures its wheat from farmers for a minimum floor price of $225 per ton. The floor price is fixed for wheat and several other crops to the farmers to avoid incurring losses in case of lower yields or crop failures.

While India offloads 2mn ton surplus wheat, about half a million ton of Pakistani wheat would be heading to the Gulf region and Afghanistan. Pakistan is allowing wheat exports after the procurement of the same reached 8mn tons this year, the highest in seven years.

Indian traders are expecting a subsidy from the government to sell wheat and wheat products for a competitive price as international wheat prices is lower or about equal including cost and freight to the Southeast Asian region. Nevertheless, the wheat traders will export to their neighbouring countries including Bangladesh and Nepal since they are closer to the wheat procurement sites of the bordering Indian state, Bihar. Trade Secretary G.K. Pillai said exports would be allowed through select ports to keep a check on how much wheat was being exported.

By Jose Roy