<div><span style="font-size: 1rem;">India will impose restrictions on the export of flour in a fresh move to insulate domestic markets from a global wheat crisis.</span><br></div><div><br></div><div>Wheat grain exports were severely curtailed in May to shore up national food reserves following global shortages and surging prices triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.</div><div><br></div><div>The Directorate General of Foreign Trade has said flour exporters will need to seek prior government approval to maintain quality and stabilise domestic prices.</div><div><br></div><div>“Global supply disruptions in wheat and wheat flour have created many new players and has led to price fluctuations and potential quality related issues,” the regulator said in a notice issued yesterday.</div><div><br></div><div>“Therefore, it is imperative to maintain the quality of wheat flour exports from India.”</div><div><br></div><div>India banned all exports of wheat grain without government approval in May, sparking a record surge in global prices and condemnation from other countries.</div><div><br></div><div>Russia and Ukraine together account for almost a quarter of the global wheat supply but their ongoing war has disrupted the supply chain and caused a worldwide shortage.</div><div><br></div><div>Wheat is the main cereal crop in India, which is the world’s second-biggest wheat producer after China.</div><div><br></div><div>India produced 109 million tonnes of wheat last year but only exported around seven million tonnes.</div><div><br></div><div>A punishing heatwave in March and April led to a drop of around 5% in the wheat harvest, prompting fears of shortages in the domestic market. Source: AFP</div><div><br></div><div>bnbd24/fas</div>