Gujarat: Wheat-laden trucks stuck at Kandla port after Centre's export ban

Kutch (Gujarat) [India], May 17 (ANI): After the Centre imposed a wheat export ban, a large number of trucks laden with wheat were seen stuck at the Kandla port in Gujarat's Kutch district on Tuesday.
Speaking to ANI, the Secretary and Media-Incharge of Gandhidham Goods Transport Association, Satbir Singh said that the ban was abrupt, and has left 5,000 trucks stranded for the last 10-15 days.
"It is incurring losses to transporters and businessmen. Government must provide facilities to unload them," he added.

Adding to it, a truck driver said that thousands of trucks have been parked outside the Kandla Port and the truck owners are suffering huge losses.
"We (truck drivers) are stuck here for days now. Wheat is not being unloaded from our trucks after the government's ban on wheat exports," he said.
Earlier today, the Centre announced relaxation in its earlier order restricting wheat exports and decided that wherever wheat consignments have been handed over to Customs for examination and registered into their systems on or prior to May 13, such consignments would be allowed for export.
The government also allowed a wheat consignment headed for Egypt, which was already under loading at the Kandla port.
This followed a request by the Egyptian government to permit the wheat cargo to be loaded at the Kandla port.
M/s Mera International India Pvt. Ltd, the company engaged for the export of the wheat to Egypt, had also given a representation for completion of loading of 61,500 MT of wheat of which 44,340 MT of wheat had already been loaded and only 17,160 MT was left to be loaded.
The government decided to permit the full consignment of 61,500 MT and allowed it to sail from Kandla to Egypt.
The Government of India had earlier restricted wheat exports to manage the overall food security situation in India and to support the needs of neighbouring and vulnerable countries that are adversely affected by the sudden changes in the global market for wheat and are unable to access adequate wheat supplies.
According to this order, this restriction would not apply in cases where prior commitments have been made by private trade through a Letter of Credit as well as in situations where permission is granted by the Government of India to other countries to meet their food security needs and on the requests of their governments.
The order served three main purposes to ensure India's food security and check inflation, it helps other countries facing food deficit, and it maintains India's reliability as a supplier. The order also aimed to provide a clear direction to the wheat market to prevent hoarding of wheat supplies, the Commerce and industry Ministry said. (ANI)