India Opens Wheat Flour Exports: DGFT Removes the Quota Barrier

A significant change for India’s wheat flour trade came on 24 August 2026.

Through DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27, the government has changed the export policy for wheat flour and related products under HS Code 11010000 from “Prohibited” to “Free”, with immediate effect.

The move is important because exporters were earlier operating through limited quotas. In February 2026, DGFT had allowed an additional 5 lakh tonnes of wheat flour and related products for export, while keeping the basic policy as “Prohibited.”

That system has now changed.

For Indian flour mills and exporters, the significance is straightforward: exports are no longer tied to the earlier quota-based permission under this HS code.

The timing is also interesting. India is a major wheat producer, while demand for Indian atta, maida and other wheat-based products exists across several overseas markets. Removing the quota restriction gives exporters more room to respond when international demand improves.

For the logistics sector, the next number worth watching is not the quota — it is actual export volume.

If overseas orders respond to the policy change, the impact will move down the chain: mills → packaging → trucks → containers → ports.

DGFT has opened the door. Now the market will decide how much wheat flour actually walks through it.