NEW DELHI, July 19: The Union food and consumer affairs minister, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh said that he has withheld the recent import order for 10 lakh tonne of wheat.This import order was prepared on basis of the government's decision to import 2 million tonne of wheat in 1995-96 and an additional 2 million tonne of wheat in 1996-97. Chaturanan Mishra, who held the additional charge of the food ministry, prior to Singh had given the green signal to go ahead with wheat imports in order to contain the rising prices and check black marketeering and hoarding due to shortfall in previous year's output. So far 1.75 million tonne of wheat has been imported from Australia, Canada and Argentina.The landed cost of imported wheat works out to about Rs 7,100 per tonne on an average as against Rs 6,763 per tonne on domestic procurement at the declared minimum support price.Singh criticised the quality of wheat imported from Australia which was infested with weeds. He said that keeping in view the estimated foodgrain production at 198.17 million tonne in 1996-97 and wheat production estimated at 68.71 million tonne, it may not be advisable to continue with wheat imports.Singh who was inaugurating the the Special Convention of Grain Traders in Capital on Saturday, was also hesitant to discontinue the special provisions of the Essential Commodities Act 1981. The All-India Foodgrain Dealers' Association who convened the meeting demanded that the government should not extend the special provisions of EC Act 1981 after it lapses in August 31.Singh said that the law was there to give penalty to the wrong doers, but he can assure that innocent people were not entangled in such disputes.
