India to consider allowing extra wheat exports on Friday

India will consider allowing another 2 million tonnes of wheat exports at a cabinet meeting on Friday, Food Minister KV Thomas told Reuters on Wednesday.

"We had allowed exports of 4.5 million tonnes and almost the entire quantity has been shipped out, and now we are considering allowing another 2 million tonnes with same floor price of USD 300 per tonne," Thomas said.

The sales would be via state-run trading companies. Another 5 million tonnes has been offered direct to private traders but no deals have been done here because the floor price is considered unattractive given transportation costs.

The cabinet will also consider selling 10 million tonnes of wheat to domestic bulk buyers and to states for distribution to the poor, Thomas said.