The government is actively considering putting quantitative restrictions on foodgrains exports or alternatively increasing the ex-granary prices as part of a proposed new grain export policy.
"Rice stocks are fast depleting, wheat quantum has been cut by a massive 5 million tonne in one single stroke due to alleged irregularities, therefore to ensure sufficient stocks one proposal mooted is to put a cap on annual grain exports," official sources said.
They said another suggestion made in inter-ministerial discussions is that ex-granary prices at which wheat and rice are sold to exporters should be substantially increased from the present highly subsidised rates.
This will ensure that India continues to be in the global grain trade and at the same time also prevent any major depletion of government stocks, they added.
As an incentive, grains can be sold at concessional rates to those exporters which have single contracts of selling 50,000 tonne or more in the world market.
"These, however, are proposals being considered by a high level committee chaired by chairman of the Food Corporation of India and nothing concrete has been decided so far," they added.
India's rice stocks fell to a mere 18.7 million tonne, as on February 1 this year from 26.134 million tonne on the same day last year, a decline of 28.3 per cent.
During the period, wheat stocks have fallen by an alarming 29.4 per cent to 21.321 million tonne from 30.201 million tonne, but the decline includes 5 million tonne missing stock.
© 2026