GOVT FLOATS BIDS FOR EXPORTING WHEAT FROM PUNJAB, HARYANA

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Monday said it had invited financial bids from private traders for the export of nearly 10 lakh tonnes of wheat stored in godowns of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in Punjab and Haryana.

Last month, the Centre had allowed the export of an extra 50 lakh tonnes of wheat of the 2011-12 crop from its godowns via private trade to ease the storage burden.

“The FCI has invited financial bids for the sale of wheat of the 2011-12 crop year,” an official release said.

The base price of the wheat to be exported under the open general licence (OGL) from Punjab and Haryana will be Rs 1,484 per quintal, it said.

The financial bids have been invited for 5.4 lakh tonnes of wheat in Punjab and 4.1 lakh tonnes in Haryana.

Meanwhile, in a reply to the Rajya Sabha on Monday, food minister KV Thomas said the FCI had invited technical bids for empanelment of private exporters. The FCI has received four technical bids for Punjab and 10 for Haryana, he said.

“The government has recently allowed sale of up to 50 lakh tonnes of wheat till June 30 from the central pool stock in Punjab and Haryana pertaining to the stock of 2011-12 through private traders for export purposes,” he said. This channel has been opened to speed up evacuation of surplus old stock of wheat in the central pool, he added.