India wheat exports set for record with rare surge in shipments

India is making a rare appearance near the ranks of the world’s wheat-trade heavyweights this season.

The country is expected to ship a record 7 million tons in the 2021-22 year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast on Wednesday. That’s more than double the prior season and will rank the nation as the world’s ninth-largest shipper.

India is one of the world’s biggest producers of the grain, but typically sells little abroad. This season, surging prices across major shippers and export restrictions in Russia helped boost the appeal of its supply, with cargoes making inroads in nearby markets like Bangladesh.

“India’s export pace continues to be robust, and its prices are competitive in Asian markets,” USDA said in its monthly world supply and demand report.