The Indian government, on the recommendations of empowered group of ministers (eGoM) on food, has lifted ban on the export of two million tonnes of non-basmati rice. The ban was imposed on export in order to curtail ever increasing prices in the domestic market last year.

However, GoM would take more time to decide reduction in MEP on basmati to USD 800 per tonne from USD 1,100.

The country has already exported 7.44 lakh tonnes of non-basmati rice through various diplomatic channels to the countries like Nigeria, Senegal, Cameron and Ghana. Center may also allow export of wheat as per some non-government sources.

The government has also increased the allocation of rice and wheat to states through public distribution system, bowing to the demand of states including Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh. The move would help about 13 crore families included in Above Poverty Line (APL) category.

In a yet another important decision, the government has removed ban on wheat stock by traders, hoping bumper crop in the forthcoming harvesting season and to appease them eying on forthcoming general elections. (With Inputs from TopNews correspondents in India)