Govt Exports 70.30 lakh tonnes of Wheat till Mar 21 This Fiscal

The total wheat export for the fiscal year ended March 21 stood at 70.30 lakh tonnes, with the majority of shipments going to Bangladesh, followed by Sri Lanka and the UAE, Parliament was informed on Friday.

As both Ukraine and Russia are major wheat exporters, accounting for more than a quarter of the global wheat trade, there is room for India to increase wheat exports, according to Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

"The total wheat export in terms of quantity during 2021-22 (till March 21st, 2022) was 70.30 LMT," she said.

Wheat exports to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and the UAE totaled 39,37,438 tonnes, 5,80,819 tonnes, and 4,69,851 tonnes, respectively, from April 2021 to March 21, 2022.

In another response, she stated that India exported seafood products worth USD 7.16 billion in April-February 2021-22, an all-time high for marine product exports.

According to her, the US Department of State has banned wild-caught shrimp imports from India on the alleged grounds that the fishing methods used in India (types of nets) are harming the sea turtle population.

"India exported seafood products worth USD 7,165 million from April to February 2021-22, which is an all-time high for marine product exports," Patel added.

Separately, she stated that India's merchandise trade with South Asian countries has nearly doubled in the last ten years, rising from USD 13.83 billion in 2010-11 to USD 25.45 billion in 2020-21.

"Under the 'Neighborhood First' policy, India remains committed to constructing a connected, integrated, secure, and prosperous South Asia," the minister stated. In a separate response, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal stated that the number of recognized startups has grown from 726 in 2016-17 to 66,810 in 2021-22. (as of March 28, 2022).