Govt may reintroduce import duty on wheat

With stocks set to cross a record 96 mn tonnes, duty will help ensure payment of MSP to farmers

The Central government might re-introduce the import duty on wheat if the need be, food minister Ram Vilas Paswan said on Tuesday.

The duty on wheat was abolished by the government in December 2016 after prices started rising in the open market due to low stocks.

However, it invited a lot of criticism on the grounds that it might dishearten farmers as it was announced right in the middle of the 2016-17 sowing season.

Now, with wheat production expected to reach a record of over 96.6 million tonnes in the 2016-17 crop season that will end in June, the Centre could be considering