India foodgrain exports in June at record high
Wednesday, 16 July 2003, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: India's foodgrain exports for June were a record 816,000 tonnes with shipments of 459,000 tonnes of wheat and 357,000 tonnes of rice. "During June, an actual shipment of 459,000 tonnes of wheat has been done against a quantity of 666,000 tonnes lifted and another 221,500 tonnes paid for by exporters to the Food Corporation of India (FCI)," a food ministry official said Tuesday. "In the case of rice, 357,000 tonnes were exported in June, while 641,000 tonnes was lifted for exports and 159,600 tonnes was paid for." India's total exports of wheat and rice, excluding the high-premium basmati rice, during the last three years up to June is 19.71 million tonnes against 26.27 million tonnes lifted and 32.06 million tonnes paid for. In 2002-03, India's food grains export were 10.61 million tonnes against 5.15 million tonnes in the previous year. From being a food importing country a decade back, India is fast emerging among the major food grain exporters. Last year despite a severe drought, the worst in three decades, India was able to push ahead with exports faced with overflowing silos. The good summer monsoon rainfall so far this year has raised India's optimism of a bountiful crop, reversing the drop last year, and pushing ahead with plans to promote exports. Eyeing the potential overseas, the state-owned procurer and stockist of India's granary, the FCI is also now firming plans to enter the exports arena.
Source: IANS
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