Early last Wednesday, the food ministry decided to permit the export of 500,000 tonnes of sugar, and food minister Sharad Pawar was supposed to announce it at sugar lobby ISMA's general body meeting that evening. But the news appeared on one of the international wire agencies by the afternoon. So when Pawar did refer to the decision at the ISMA meet, he dryly added that he wanted to congratulate all the friends in the press for having established deep contacts in his ministry and office.