by AUFA MARDHIAH / Pic by BLOOMBERG

MALAYSIA’S wheat flour supply is not affected by India’s immediate ban on wheat export.

The Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry (KPDNHEP) said Malaysia imports 80% of wheat from Australia and the rest from the US, Canada and Ukraine. 

“Hence, India’s ban does not affect the country’s wheat flour supply,” the ministry said in a Twitter post today.

KPDNHEP also assured that it has 2,200 enforcers constantly monitoring the situation to ensure the supply of subsidised and non-subsidised flour is stable in the market.

India’s ban on exporting wheat was due to the heat wave that hit the country in March as a result of global warming from human-made carbon emissions.

Financial Express reported that April was the second hottest since 1951 with a monthly average maximum temperature of 40.2.

On the contrary, the Times of India reported that the ban is a means to control the country’s rising domestic prices. Retail inflation reached the country’s eight-year high of 7.79% in April which was driven by the price hike of food and fuel.