WORLD

China defends India’s wheat export ban, blames West for spurt in food inflation

China has come to India’s defence over wheat export ban. An article in the Global Times, the Chinese government’s mouthpiece, has defended India’s decision. It has asked the Group of Seven (G7) industrialised nations to increase their exports of the foodgrain and stabilise the food market supply. 

China’s defence follows German Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir statement at a press conference in Stuttgart which said: "If everyone starts to impose export restrictions or to close markets, that would worsen the crisis." 

The report added that while India was the second-largest wheat producer, it accounted for only a small part of global wheat exports, while some countries such as US, Canada, the EU and Australia are some of the major wheat exporters.  

“If some Western countries decide to reduce wheat exports in the wake of a potential global food crisis, they will be in no position to criticise India, a country that faces huge pressure to secure its own food supply in order to feed its huge population,” the article said. 

It said that the real reason behind the “steep rises in global market food prices and food supply shortages” was the Ukraine crisis and the West’s sanctions on Russia.  

“Blaming India won’t solve the food problem, although there is no denying that India’s move to stop its wheat exports may push up wheat prices a little bit. The West just wants to shift the blame to the developing economies, including India,” it said.  

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