The government has increased the customs duty on wheat from 20% to 30%, in order to limit cheaper imports and protect domestic growers.
As per a notification issued by the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), the import duty on walnut shell has also been raised from 30% to 100%.
The industry experts stated that, the government wants to restrict overseas purchase, so that domestic prices of wheat do not come under pressure and farmers get at least the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs.1,735 per quintal fixed for the 2017-18 crop year (July-June).