Food inflation seen easing to 8% by end-March

The prospect of a good winter harvest is likely to bring down food inflation in India to about 8% by end-March, a senior government adviser said on Monday.

Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen also said private traders should be allowed to export wheat with a small duty. India's granaries are overflowing with stocks of wheat but prices have stayed high with wholesale price inflation , the main gauge of prices in the country, unexpectedly quickening to 8.31% in February. Food inflation stood at 9.5% in the year to March 19, data showed last week.