India would withdraw private-level ban on wheat export, says Bangladesh food minister

Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumder has said India would withdraw the ban on wheat exports at the non-government level after 15 days or one month as it must sell its already-produced wheat.

The minister made the remarks while talking to journalists while visiting the food warehouse in Sylhet on Sunday, reports BSS.

About India’s notification over the wheat export, Sadhan said, “India banned wheat exports at the private level. They didn’t ban at government level and it remains written clearly in the notification. So, I think it will not be too much problematic,” he said.

Noting that the country is fairly self-reliant in food, he said Bangladesh didn’t import rice in the last year. Domestic rice production is meeting the local demand, he said.

“Bangladesh has to import wheat. Wheat is imported at private level in larger scale and lesser at government level,” he added.

He said Bangladesh generally imports wheat from Russia and Ukraine at the government level while 3,00,000 metric tonnes of grain have already been imported from India.

He hoped it is possible to import wheat to meet the rest of the demand.

Regarding the price hike of edible oil, the minister said Bangladesh is not the only country which is facing the crisis rather the other countries are also facing it.

“Price of edible oil is lower in Bangladesh than India as every litter of soybean oil is being sold at 210 rupees in India,” he said.