The Russia-Ukraine conflict has posed a global problem in terms of food grain supply, and India is preparing to respond with a possible export of 100 lakh tonnes of grains this year, with orders for 35 lakh tonnes placed in the first quarter alone.
Piyush Goyal, the Commerce Minister who is also the Minister for Food and Public Distribution, told The Hindu that his Ministry had set up an internal committee to look into the quality standards of food exports to 180 nations across the world, not just grains but also other food items.
“There is nothing wrong with the quality of our grains and other foods, but various countries have different Quality standards and food requirements. The internal group is looking into matching what we already have and putting paperwork in place to make exporting easier. We intend to submit 2,000 export applications to nations that rely heavily on Russian and Ukrainian grains “he explained.
India ready to deliver humanitarian solutions amid Russia-Ukraine War
India saw the Russia-Ukraine circumstance as “not an opportunity,” but as an opportunity to deliver a humanitarian solution to countries in need that had come from a “tragic predicament.”
In terms of the war’s impact on India’s own trade with Russia-Ukraine, he claimed the crisis would have little impact because the country was exploring new options such as FTAs (free trade agreements) with the UAE and others.
“This administration is serious about doing its job. We don’t want to run a company; instead, we want to be a facilitator. When we say India will be aligned with the rest of the globe, we mean it. This is something that all countries are looking into. However, the fact that our total trade with Ukraine and Russia is not that huge is a plus. Our exports were in the range of $2.5 to $3 billion, while imports were in the $10 to $11 billion range.
So, there are a few industries that may be impacted, but given that we are extending our partnerships with Australia and the UAE, and conversations with the European Union are already underway – and we will more than makeup for any chances lost, “Mr. Goyal made a comment.
He noted that the government was working on short-term buying of products from Ukraine, such as sunflower seeds, and that India was also assisting other nations that were similarly affected.