India has implanted a restriction on wheat flour exports, in a bid to lower prices for their domestic market, according to the government.

New Delhi had banned wheat exports in mid-May, when a heatwave threatened their domestic harvest, and prices began to soar to record highs. Last month the government announced exporters would have to secure permission to export wheat flour abroad, however they stopped short of banning its export.

The ban on wheat however had the unintended effect of cutting back supplies of wheat flour abroad, and triggered an acceleration in exports of the flour, with the year on year exports surging 200% between April and July of 2022. That led to a domestic shortage which caused prices to spike domestically, and that forced the government to intervene.

In a statement, the government in New Delhi said, “There was a policy not to prohibit or put any restrictions on the export of wheat flour. Therefore, a partial modification of the policy was required… to ensure food security and put a check on mounting prices.”