New Delhi: The rising threat of food security is set to throw PM Narendra Modi into a conundrum. The dilemma facing PM Modi is whether to continue sending wheat to countries affected by dwindling supplies from the war in Ukraine or to store it at home to prevent high inflation. In fact, the scorching heat has caused significant damage to wheat yields in South Asian countries, prompting the government to consider export restrictions.
The Food Ministry says that it does not see any case yet to control the export of wheat, a question that will arise even further and will have political implications for PM Modi and his ruling BJP. The question before PM Modi is to cement his reputation as a trusted global leader. At the same time, they also have to look at the domestic dismay regarding record-high inflation. It is this issue that brought down the previous government and paved the way for their rise to power. On Thursday, PM Modi reviewed the situation of supply, stock and export of wheat. He directed the officers to take all necessary steps to ensure quality norms and standards, so that India can be developed as a sure source of food grains and other agricultural products.
He said that whenever there is a crisis on humanity, India comes with a solution. Egypt, the world's top buyer, recently approved India as a source of import of wheat. Last month, Food and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had said that India expects to become a sustainable exporter of wheat, shipping 15 million tonnes this year, as against around 7.2 million in 2021-22. Goyal said officials are pushing the WTO to relax the rules so that India can export from the state's reserves.
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