Export of 2.5 Million Tons of Wheat from India Likely to Be Challenging

18-Feb-2026 11:14 AM

New Delhi: Although the central government has permitted the commercial export of 2.5 million tons of wheat, it appears difficult to ship the entire quantity during the current year considering domestic and global market conditions. Along with whole wheat, the government has also increased the export quota for value-added wheat products from 0.5 million tons to 1 million tons. This may reduce the interest of importing countries in purchasing Indian wheat.

According to trade analysts, domestic wheat prices are currently higher than global market prices. Major exporting countries such as Russia, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ukraine, Argentina, and France are aggressively pushing their wheat exports. Facing such stiff competition and challenges will not be easy for India. However, some neighboring countries may still import wheat from India.

Reviewers note that the central government has increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat for the 2025–26 rabi season by ₹160 to ₹2,585 per quintal. Farmers are unlikely to sell below this level. This implies that traders and exporters may procure wheat at around ₹2,600 per quintal, and after adding other costs, the effective price would rise further. Exporters also require a profit margin. At such elevated price levels, distant countries may not prefer to buy Indian wheat.

At the national level, the average wholesale mandi price of wheat stood at ₹2,587 per quintal in January, which declined to ₹2,527 per quintal in the first fortnight of February. Nevertheless, these prices are still considered high for export competitiveness.