No immediate plan to import wheat: Pawar

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The government has no immediate plans to import more wheat as buffer stock is satisfactory and production this season is expected to be near the targeted level, Agriculture and Food Minister Sharad Pawar said on Friday.

“By and large we are satisfied with the buffer stock position compared to the norms. So there is no urgency,” he said while replying to a query on plans to import wheat.

“Not immediately,” he quipped when asked whether the government is considering fresh imports.

Pawar said the government is watching the international market closely and pointed out that many countries are facing shortage that has affected international markets, especially the major producers of the grain.

“Whatever wheat is available in the world today is reddish (in colour), which faces consumers resistance in our country. That is why we are going little slow (on import),” he said on the sidelines of a function organised by FICCI.

India, the second-largest producer of wheat, has been importing wheat for the last two years. The Centre imported 55 lakh tons of wheat in 2006 and about 18 lakh tons in 2007 to augment its buffer stock for meeting the requirement of public distribution system.

Pawar also expressed confidence India could produce a ‘record’ crop this year if weather remains favourable in next two months and pegged the output at over 75 million tons.

“As on today., I can say we will cross 75 million tons,” he said when asked whether the country can beat the previous record of 76.37 million tons in 1999-2000.