November 28, 2006

India receives 3.2 million tonnes of wheat 

India received about 3.2 million tonnes of imported wheat at its ports against the 5.5 million tonnes contracted after a poor crop sent prices spiralling.

India has also allowed the private sector to buy in wheat at zero duty.

The Indian ports, already burdened with large fertiliser arrivals and exports of soymeal, have been further put under pressure.

According to a government official, about 50,000 tonnes of backed up wheat had been cleared in the past month from its two ports and were in the process of clearing around 350,000 tonnes more.

The government had also finalised a plan to remove the imported wheat from the ports, said minister of state for agriculture, Akhilesh Prasad Singh.

Further, the country also awaits the arrival of additional wheat.

Higher wheat prices have encouraged farmers to grow more wheat this year, and wheat for the summer harvest has been sown over 11.4 million hectares between Nov 1-24.

India grows only one wheat crop in a year with sowing done in the winter months of November and December, and harvests beginning March.

The ministry said while the area under wheat planting had gone up, the coverage under oilseeds was down by 8 percent to 7.48 million from last year.