An association of wheat flour millers in India has called on the government to reduce the wheat import duty from 40% to between 5% and 10%. The request aims to improve wheat availability in the country.
Navneet Chitlangia, president of the Roller Flour Millers’ Federation of India, made the appeal during an event in Panaji, Goa. He urged the government to reassess the current duty after evaluating the wheat crop size, procurement, and market stock levels. Chitlangia suggested that importing 2 to 3 million tonnes of wheat would resolve concerns about India’s low crop size and alleviate difficulties faced by the milling industry.
The Indian government increased the wheat import duty from 30% to 40% in April 2019, where it has remained. Chitlangia also noted that wheat output is expected to reach 110 million tonnes for the 2024-25 winter season. The federation had previously estimated wheat output at 106 million tonnes, while the government projected 113 million tonnes. Over the past two years, the government has procured 26 million tonnes for its central pool, with a target of 31 million tonnes for the upcoming season. As of March, wheat stocks in the central pool stood at 14.41 million tonnes, exceeding the April 1 buffer norm of 7.46 million tonnes.
Additionally, the federation has called for the creation of a wheat board to support research, farmers, and the processing industry.