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DNA Explainer: Why Turkey rejected India's wheat consignment?

As per reports, a Turkish trader said that Rubella virus was found in Indian wheat, due to which the Agriculture Ministry returned the consignment.

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In a blow to Indian traders, Turkey denied permission to an Indian wheat consignment over phytosanitary concerns. After this decision by the Turkish authorities, 56,877 tonnes of durum wheat is now headed back to Kandala port in Gujarat. Turkey claims that Rubella virus has been found in these wheat.

Turkey returned the consignment of Indian wheat on May 29, despite a wheat crisis in the country, resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war. Officials say that there is a problem of phytosanitary in the wheat of the consignment. This comes amid a 70% inflation level in Turkey.

Read | DNA Explainer: How world is reacting to wheat export ban by India amid Ukraine war

According to reports, a Turkish trader said that Rubella virus has been found in Indian wheat, due to which the country's Agriculture Ministry decided to return the consignment. The ship will return to Gujarat port by mid-June. However, there has been no response from India's side till now.

What is Rubella disease in humans?

Rubella is a contagious disease caused by a virus. Most people who get infected by it usually have a mild illness, with symptoms that can include a low-grade fever, sore throat, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Rubella spreads when someone who is infected coughs or sneezes tiny germ-filled droplets into the air and onto surfaces. People who catch the virus are contagious for up to a week before and a week after the rash appears.

Until the 1960s, Rubella was a common childhood infection. But after the MMR vaccine came in the market, the virus stopped spreading in the United States around 2004. In Asia, Africa and other parts of the world, the virus still exists.

Despite ban on exports, India became the troubleshooter

Turkey is grappling with a severe wheat crisis. The Erdogan government is exploring options to buy wheat from abroad. In view of the domestic demand, India has decided to ban on private wheat exports. 12 countries, however, have requested India for help.

Despite the ban on exports, India sent a consignment of 60,000 tonnes of wheat to Egypt. Not only countries like Turkey, but the whole world is currently battling a big and small wheat crisis due to the Russia Ukraine war which has affected the global supply chain.

Worry for India and other countries

Russia and Ukraine are both major producers of wheat. According to the Global Hunger Index, every second to third bread eaten in Africa and the Middle East is made from Ukrainian wheat. One-fourth of the world's wheat in the global market comes from Russia and Ukraine.

Turkey's decision has put other countries including Egypt in a dilemma where Indian wheat is going to reach in a few days. The countries facing the crisis are now dependent on India for wheat. In such a situation, Turkey's complaints about Indian wheat may increase the problems of the troubled countries.

On the other hand, the recent development has caused concern among the Indian traders as at least 1.5 million tonnes of wheat are due to be exported. The presence of Rubella plant disease will be a serious concern for any importing nation, however, this is a rare instance in the case of Indian wheat.

While, the huge consignment was expected to benefit the farmers, it was also expected to further push up wheat prices in India which have already surged up by 15% in the recent weeks. 

Why India banned export of wheat?

India had suspended the wheat export after forecasting that the wheat output will fall 3% to 106 million tonnes because of early heatwave, against a previous forecast of 111.32 tonnes made in February 2022. Wheat prices has shot up as Indian wheat is in demand in the global markets after exports from Ukraine came to a halt because of the Russian-Ukraine war.

The purpose of banning export was to bring stability to wheat prices and insulate it against international price movements. India is the second largest producer of wheat. However, we are ninth biggest exporter of wheat in the world due to our large population. This is the reason that most of the produced crop is consumed within the country, leaving little room for exports.

However, India's wheat exports hit 7.85 million tonnes in the fiscal year to March, an all-time high and a sharp increase from 2.1 million tonnes in the previous year. Other than Bangladesh, India exported wheat to South Korea, Sri Lanka, Oman and Qatar, among others.

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