New Delhi, May 20 (FN Agency) Amid criticism over banning wheat exports, India on Thursday said that there has been an unjustified increase in wheat prices due to hoarding and speculation and that New Delhi would export the foodgrain to those countries that need it to meet their food security demands which would be based on requests from the respective governments. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, in a briefing, cited Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan’s address at the UN General Assembly on food security. “I think yesterday our honorable minister V Muraleedharan was in New York and his statement is I think what I would recommend…. He made two-three points which capture what we are trying to say, is that there has been an unjustified increase in food prices and it’s clear that hoarding and speculation is at work, from our perspective. “And we are committed to ensuring that such adverse impact on food security is effectively mitigated and the vulnerable are cushioned against sudden such changes.
So in order to manage our own overall food security and to support the needs of neighboring and other vulnerable developing countries we announced some measures regarding wheat exports on 13 May and subsequent clarifications on that. “So these measures allow for export. I think the terminology was lost… it allows for export to those countries who need it to meet their food security demands or requirements and it will be based on requests from the concerned governments. And this, such a policy will ensure that we truly respond to those who are most in need.” He again cited the MoS’ address where he said that it is necessary for all countries to appreciate the importance of equity, affordability and accessibility when it comes to foodgrains. “We have already seen to our great cost as a humanity how these principles were effectively disregarded when it came to Covid-19 vaccines; and so open markets must not become an argument to perpetuate inequity and to promote some degree of discrimination and, of course India has been very supportive and helped its partners in distress even in the middle of Covid19 and ongoing conflicts,” he added. He was answering a question on whether the issue of food security in the context of the Ukraine conflict would come up in the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden in Tokyo on May 24.