US whets its wheat appetite

United Nations – The United States hopes India will reverse its ban on wheat exports, Washington’s top diplomat to the United Nations said, warning the move would worsen global shortages of the commodity.

“We’re encouraging countries not to restrict exports because we think any restrictions on exports will exacerbate the food shortages,” Linda Thomas-Greenfield said during a gathering on food security ahead of a meeting of the UN Security Council.

The UN meeting – to be chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken – will include Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, India’s minister of state for external affairs.

India holds a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council.

“We hope that [India] can, as they hear the concerns being raised by other countries, that they would reconsider that position,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

India, the world’s second-largest producer of wheat, on Saturday announced it would ban exports without special authorisation from the government in the face of falling production caused primarily by an extreme heatwave.

New Delhi said it wanted to ensure “food security” for India’s 1.4 billion people.