Representative Image | Wheat sacks are loaded onto a truck at the grain market in Punjab. The Commerce Department had fought the plan to ban the export of wheat even as the Agriculture Ministry sounded the alarm on the fast-reducing estimates of wheat production due to the heatwave, officials told Moneycontrol . They added that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had supported keeping exports under bilateral arrangements since the Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister have till now been requested by leaders from many countries to help ensure their food security in the face of a global shortage of wheat. On May 13, India banned wheat exports with immediate effect as the world's second-largest wheat producer attempted to stabilise rising domestic prices. The government also struggled with the public procurement process, which received a low response from farmers who continued to sell at much higher prices to traders. The ban came in the backdrop of official … [Read more...] about Exclusive | Commerce Department pushed to keep wheat exports open but agri ministry wanted ban
Gujarat ambuja exports
India to send trade delegations to 9 countries to boost wheat exports
Representative Image.(Courtesy : AP) India will soon be sending trade delegations to at least nine wheat importing nations to explore the possibilities of boosting wheat exports. The move comes amid widespread loss of yield in major wheat growing states, and low response to public procurement by farmers who continue to sell at much higher prices to traders. The Centre will send trade delegations to Morocco, Tunisia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Turkey, Algeria, and Lebanon to promote Indian wheat , the Commerce and Industry Ministry said on May 12. The move is part of the government's efforts to export 10 million tonnes of wheat in 2022-23, amid rising global demand, it said. Not more than 10 days after the Ukraine crisis began, the Centre began discussions with various countries, including Egypt, Turkey, China, Bosnia, Sudan, Nigeria and Iran on commencing wheat exports. Initial shipments have also begun to some of these nations. The Agricultural and … [Read more...] about India to send trade delegations to 9 countries to boost wheat exports
India prohibits wheat exports with immediate effect
Representative Image India has prohibited wheat exports with immediate effect, according to a government notification issued late Friday, as the world's second-largest wheat producer attempts to stabilise domestic prices. However, export shipments for which irrevocable letters of credit (LoC) were issued on or before the date of this announcement will be approved, according to a May 13 notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). "The export policy of wheat is prohibited with immediate effect," the DGFT said. It also clarified that wheat exports will be allowed on the basis of permission granted by the Government of India to other countries to meet their food security needs and based on the request of their governments. Following a nearly 40% rise in global rates in the aftermath of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and also as India ramped up exports, wheat and cereal prices rose in India. The country is expected to face a shortfall of the cereal in the … [Read more...] about India prohibits wheat exports with immediate effect
Mysterious metal balls fall from the sky in Gujarat, locals baffled
Mysterious metal parts "fell from the sky" in certain villages of Gujarat (Image: amarsrivastava/Twitter) Villagers in Gujarat were baffled when giant metal balls fell from the sky on Thursday. According to an Indian Express report, the balls were found in Bhalej, Khambholaj, and Rampura. Local police said that “the first large, black metal ball” fell from the sky in Bhalej village of Gujarat ’s Anand district at around 4.45 pm on May 12. The ball weighed approximately five kilograms. After that, similar metal debris were also found in the neighbouring villages of Khambholaj and Rampura. A report in India Today further stated that besides these three villages, black and silver metal balls were discovered in Kheda district’s Umreth and Nadiad. Residents of Sayla village in Surendranagar district have reported that a metal ball (or more than one) fell from the sky recently. Fragments were found scattered across fields. This could be debris from a satellite ... … [Read more...] about Mysterious metal balls fall from the sky in Gujarat, locals baffled
Wheat prices jump as India export ban adds to supply squeeze
- A + A PARIS/MANILA (May 16): International wheat prices jumped on Monday as an export ban by India, the latest country to use trade curbs to counter food inflation, threatened to further squeeze world wheat supply strained by the war in Ukraine. US and European wheat futures climbed by nearly 6%, with the Chicago market — the global benchmark — earlier reaching its daily trading limit and Paris prices approaching all-time highs. By end of its overnight trading session, Chicago futures were up 4.9%, off an earlier two-month peak. Wheat has contributed to record highs this year for global food prices as measured by the UN's food agency, with Russia's invasion of Ukraine upending the market by halting massive shipments from Ukrainian sea ports. India's embargo, prompted by a heatwave that has cut harvest prospects and sent domestic prices soaring, marks a policy U-turn after the government maintained just days earlier that it was still targeting record exports of … [Read more...] about Wheat prices jump as India export ban adds to supply squeeze
New Development Bank seeks to co-finance trade infrastructure projects with India Exim Bank
Representative Image| A hydropower plant being constructed along the Bhote Koshi River in Nepal. Image by Jonas Gratzer for Mongabay. The New Development Bank (NDB) has reached out to India Exim Bank with an offer to co-finance trade infrastructure across the world. While India remains a stakeholder in the multilateral NDB, any prospective partnership will mark the first time that it partners with China, considered to be a major global rival in all forms of multilateral finance, including export credit, and project exports in particular. "I invite India Exim Bank to identify some priority projects, in trade enabled infrastructure, which involves both the elements of physical infrastructure as well as of technology," NDB President Marcos Prado Troyjo said. Troyjo was virtually attending a summit on project exports organized by India Exim Bank on May 5. Formerly referred to as the BRICS Development Bank, the multilateral development bank was established by five nations … [Read more...] about New Development Bank seeks to co-finance trade infrastructure projects with India Exim Bank
Exclusive | India to approach Russia for concessions on sunflower oil imports
Representative image The government may shortly begin discussions with Russia to secure concessions on sunflower oil imports as domestic retail prices of edible oil continue to climb amid accelerating inflation, people aware of the matter said. India hopes to secure a special carveout or concessional rates for shipments after Russia limited exports of sunflower oil till August 31. Exports of sunflower oil are capped at 1.5 million tonnes till August 31, while overseas sales of sunflower seeds are also banned during this period. The country has placed a 700,000 tonne quota for sunflower meal exports. “Talks are yet to begin and all options remain open. But the government hopes for a special arrangement on sunflower oil, which allows shipments or lower charges for exports to India,” an official said. The Indian government had informed Russia about the need for sunflower oil before as well, but the war with Ukraine had kept Moscow preoccupied and the barrage of international … [Read more...] about Exclusive | India to approach Russia for concessions on sunflower oil imports
Stocks’ Rout Deepens as Oil Soars and Russian Invasion Raises Recovery Worries
U.S. equity markets are sinking as Russia escalates attacks on Ukraine, raising concerns about disruptions of oil and other commodities. The Dow at one point was down more than 600 points, while crude oil approached $107 a barrel. Key Takeaways The Dow Jones fell more than 600 points as crude oil surged past $105 a barrel and financial and travel company shares slumped. Wheat and corn futures traded limit up as both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters, with wheat hitting prices not seen since 2008. Retailers including Target and Walmart are trading higher. Oil prices are soaring to more than $105 a barrel, the highest they’ve been since 2014. Wheat and corn futures traded limit up as both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters. Wheat prices are at levels not seen since 2008. Investors continued to put money into haven investments. Bond prices are rising with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note falling another 11 basis points (BPS) to 1.72%. Gold and … [Read more...] about Stocks’ Rout Deepens as Oil Soars and Russian Invasion Raises Recovery Worries
Rupiah nears breach of support with palm oil ban hurting trade
- A + A (May 16): The rupiah risks weakening to its lowest level in almost two years as Indonesia’s ban on palm oil exports adds to headwinds from interest rate hikes in the US. The currency fell to a one-year low last week, despite an assurance from the central bank that it would stabilize the currency. Technical support at its April 2021 low is now in danger and a breach of this level would pave the way for a decline to its September 2020 low. Investors are watching for further export restrictions and rising demand for the dollar, said Divya Devesh, head of Asean and South-Asia FX research at Standard Chartered Bank in Singapore. He sees the rupiah depreciating to 14,800 to the greenback by the end of June, from 14,613 on Friday. Palm oil accounted for 1.5% of Indonesia’s gross domestic product in 2021 and the prohibition on shipments could cut US$2 billion from the nation’s exports for each month it stays in place, according to estimates from Goldman Sachs … [Read more...] about Rupiah nears breach of support with palm oil ban hurting trade
Bond traders reel as inflation hits world’s emerging local debt
- A + A (May 16): As spiraling inflation spreads across the globe, emerging-market bonds from Turkey to Thailand are feeling the brunt. Local-currency debt from developing nations -- which is far more sensitive to a country’s domestic inflationary pressures than dollar denominated equivalents — has slumped almost 9% this year, the most since at least 2008, according to a Bloomberg index. There’s unlikely to be any relief soon as central bankers around the world attempt to control surging prices by raising interest rates even more aggressively — potentially risking growth in doing so. That certainly wasn’t the plan. Many developing economies led the charge in rate hikes last year, getting ahead of policy makers in the US and hoping to avoid a redux of the 2013 taper tantrum. But with inflation raging in the US and the strong dollar pressuring currencies elsewhere, these countries are now making a new rulebook. Policy makers across emerging nations are either … [Read more...] about Bond traders reel as inflation hits world’s emerging local debt