Exports of commodities from India to Maldives slopes

It has been revealed that there has been a sweeping drop in the quantity of exports of essential commodities from India to Maldives.

India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry Department of Commerce had published a notification titled “Supply of essential commodities to the Republic of Maldives during 2018-19” on the 21st of June.

The notification shows a fixed number of essential commodities such as potatoes, onions, rice, wheat flour, sugar, pulses and eggs that are to be exported to Maldives within the next year.

According to Indian news outlet The Wire, the sweeping drop was due to a change in the calculation that is strictly in line with the trade agreement.

A bilateral trade agreement had been made in 1981 between the Maldives and India according to which India exports certain commodities of which the quantities are notified annually. The agreement notes that these items are exempt from any restrictions or prohibitions on Indian exports during the period of notification.

According to the notification, potatoes are to be exported in 5,308 metric tons (MT), onions in 9,892 MT, rice in 24,581.07 MT, wheat flour in 946.21 MT, Sugar in 338.47 MT, Dal in 31.59 and 11,18,09,090 (111 million) eggs.

The biggest drop is seen in wheat flour which decreased by 98.4%. Last year, the export of 59,442 MT in flour was allocated.

Moreover, a 97.5% drop in sugar export was also observed.

The Wire reports according to sources that last year, India had billed whatsoever amount the Maldivian government had proposed.

“For 2018-19, India decided to make some changes. The Indian government finalized the quota “based on the average utilization by the Maldives in the last three years”. Utilization was measured as the actual amount ‘lifted’ by the Maldives of these commodities in previous years” reports The Wire.