DGFT Makes Wheat Flour Exports Free in 2026: New Policy for Atta, Maida & Semolina

The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) has changed India's wheat flour export policy in 2026. Through Notification No. 34/2026-27 dated 24 August 2026, the Central Government has revised the export policy for wheat flour and specified related products falling under ITC (HS) Code 11010000 from “Prohibited” to “Free”. The notification says the revised policy takes effect immediately. 

The change covers wheat or meslin flour, atta, maida, semolina referred to in the Gazette as “Samolina” (Rava/Sirgi), wholemeal atta and resultant atta. For flour mills, exporters, processors and trading businesses, this removes the earlier prohibited export-policy classification for this specific entry.

However, “Free” has a specific meaning under India's Foreign Trade Policy. It does not mean an exporter can ignore Customs, product, documentation, or destination-country requirements. The Foreign Trade Policy itself states that goods classified as “Free” can still be subject to conditions under other laws. 

DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27 at a Glance

Main effect: Specified wheat flour products are no longer classified as prohibited exports under this entry    

The Gazette identifies the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Department of Commerce, and DGFT as the issuing authorities, while the notification itself is dated 24 August 2026. The English text confirms the move from “Prohibited” to “Free” for HS Code 11010000 with immediate effect. 

What Has Changed in the Wheat Flour Export Policy?

The main change is straightforward: products covered by ITC (HS) 11010000 were classified as Prohibited for export. DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27 now changes that classification to Free.

This is more than a small wording change. Under the earlier prohibited status, businesses could not treat these goods as ordinarily freely exportable. During parts of 2026, DGFT had allowed specified quantities through an authorisation-based route while keeping the underlying status “Prohibited”.

For example, Notification No. 55/2025-26 dated 16 January 2026 allowed export of 5 lakh metric tonnes of wheat flour and related products under an export authorisation while expressly retaining the “Prohibited” policy status. 

DGFT followed this with Notification No. 61/2025-26 dated 24 February 2026, allowing an additional 5 lakh metric tonnes. Even then, the products remained classified as prohibited. 

Notification No. 34/2026-27 takes a different approach. It changes the underlying export-policy classification itself to “Free”. 

That distinction matters for businesses reviewing export plans in 2026.

Which Wheat Flour Products Are Covered Under the New Export Policy?

The notification does not cover every product containing wheat. It deals with the products specifically described under the amended ITC (HS) entry.

These product descriptions are taken from the notification itself. 

The English Gazette uses the spelling “Samolina”. For easier reading, “semolina” is used in this article while retaining the notification's reference to Rava/Sirgi.

Businesses should be careful not to automatically extend this notification to wheat grain, biscuits, bread, pasta, wheat bran, starch, or any other wheat-based processed product. The legal position depends on the correct ITC (HS) classification of the actual goods being exported.

Which HS Code Is Covered Under the New Wheat Flour Export Policy?

The notification specifically identifies HS Code 11010000, written in its table as 1101 0000.

ITC (HS), or Indian Trade Classification based on the Harmonized System, is the coding structure India uses to classify goods for import and export. The Foreign Trade Policy explains that goods are classified at the 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-digit levels, and that Schedule II of the ITC (HS) sets out India's export policy regime. 

In simple terms, the product description and code matter together. A business should not assume that something belongs under 11010000 simply because wheat is one of its ingredients.

Correct classification becomes especially important when the export policy attached to one code changes while neighbouring product categories may have a different policy position.

What Does “Free” Export Policy Mean for Wheat Flour Exporters?

“Free” means that DGFT no longer classifies the specified wheat flour products under HS Code 11010000 as “Prohibited”. The amended entry can therefore be treated as freely exportable from the perspective of the DGFT export-policy classification, subject to other applicable laws and conditions.

The Foreign Trade Policy 2023 makes this distinction clear. Para 2.01 says exports and imports are generally “Free” unless regulated through prohibition, restriction, or State Trading Enterprises. The same provision also says that some items classified as “Free” may still be subject to conditions under other laws. 

What Has Become Free?

The export-policy status of the covered products has become free.

The Gazette states:

• Existing policy: Prohibited 
• Revised policy: Free 
• Application: With immediate effect 
• The policy change relates to wheat flour and related products under HS Code 11010000. 

This means an exporter no longer has to treat this specific entry as prohibited merely because of the previous DGFT classification.

What “Free” Does Not Automatically Mean

The word “Free” should not be read as “no compliance”.

It does not, by itself, mean that there is no need to consider exporter registration, Customs processes, shipment documents, applicable food or product rules, buyer requirements, contractual specifications, or the rules of the importing country.

One clear example is the Importer-Exporter Code (IEC). Foreign Trade Policy 2023 states that IEC is mandatory for undertaking export/import activities, subject to specified exemptions. 

That IEC requirement comes from the broader Foreign Trade Policy. It is not a new requirement created by Notification No. 34/2026-27.

This distinction should be maintained for every other requirement too.

Wheat Flour Export Policy: Prohibited vs Free

The earlier 2026 framework is useful for understanding the size of this change. January and February notifications allowed limited quantities while keeping the underlying classification prohibited. The August notification now changes the classification itself. 

When Does the Revised Wheat Flour Export Policy Come Into Effect?

DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27 says that the revised “Free” export policy applies with immediate effect. 

There are a few dates in the Gazette that should not be mixed. The notification text is dated 24 August 2026, while the Gazette issue header shown on the attached document carries 25 August 2026. 

For the actual policy effect, the controlling wording in the notification is “with immediate effect”. The notification does not provide a future implementation deadline or transition period for moving from prohibited to free status.

What Is the Legal Basis of DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27?

The Central Government issued the amendment by exercising powers under Section 5 read with Section 3 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, together with Paras 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023. 

Section 5 of the Act gives the Central Government power to formulate and announce India's export-import policy and to amend that policy through notification in the Official Gazette. 

Foreign Trade Policy 2023 then provides the working framework for product-wise import and export controls. Para 2.01 explains the broad categories of free, prohibited, restricted, and State Trading Enterprise-regulated trade. Schedule II of ITC (HS) contains the export-policy position for individual goods. 

So, the August notification operates as a product-specific amendment within that wider system.

How Does the Amendment Change Schedule II of the ITC (HS) Export Policy?

Schedule II tells exporters how a particular product is treated for export-policy purposes.

The Foreign Trade Policy states that Schedule I deals with import policy, while Schedule II sets out export policy. Product treatment is linked to its ITC (HS) classification. 

Notification No. 34/2026-27 changes the Schedule II position for the covered wheat flour products. The relevant entry now reads “Free” instead of “Prohibited”.

That makes correct product classification the starting point for businesses. If the goods being shipped do not fall within the amended entry, an exporter should not rely on this notification alone.

Who Is Affected by the Change in Wheat Flour Export Policy?

The direct regulatory effect is on businesses seeking to export products covered by HS Code 11010000. There are also commercial implications for manufacturers, processors, and traders involved in supplying those exporters.

Wheat Flour Exporters

Existing exporters have the clearest connection to the amendment. A product that was subject to a prohibited policy classification can now be reviewed under the new “Free” status.

Exporters that had postponed transactions because of the earlier policy may therefore reassess them, but the actual shipment still needs to satisfy other applicable requirements.

Flour Mills and Processors

Flour mills that manufacture Atta, Maida, semolina or other covered products may now have more freedom to consider export orders. For a mill, the practical questions go beyond the DGFT classification. Production capacity, buyer specifications, packaging, pricing, freight and supply commitments still determine whether an export order makes business sense.

Trading and Merchant Export Businesses

Merchant exporters may also revisit sourcing opportunities for the covered products. The policy change removes one major export-policy barrier. However, traders still need to confirm that the product being purchased and exported matches the notified classification and the commercial description used in the transaction.

MSME Flour Manufacturers and Exporters

The notification does not provide a separate MSME quota, exemption, subsidy, or procedural benefit. Its change is based on the product classification. For smaller manufacturers, however, the commercial effect may still be meaningful. A business that previously had little reason to prepare for regular wheat flour exports may now need to assess export documentation, buyer specifications, logistics, and international market requirements.

Export and Compliance Teams

For businesses that already export food products, internal compliance teams should update any policy trackers that still describe HS Code 11010000 as prohibited.

Using an old policy position after the notification could lead to incorrect commercial decisions, while assuming that “Free” removes every compliance requirement could create the opposite problem.

What Does the Change Mean for Indian Wheat Flour Exporters?

The immediate practical effect is greater flexibility.

Businesses dealing in the specified products can now evaluate export transactions without starting from a DGFT policy position that classifies those goods as prohibited.

This may affect commercial planning in several ways. Exporters can reopen discussions with overseas customers, mills can reconsider the share of production meant for export markets, and traders can assess sourcing opportunities.

However, none of these outcomes is automatic. A “Free” export policy does not guarantee an overseas order, profitable pricing, buyer acceptance, or market access.

The commercial viability of an export still depends on the buyer, country, product quality, freight cost, payment terms, currency exposure, sourcing price, and other transaction-specific factors.

Impact on Flour Mills and Food-Processing Businesses

For flour mills, the amendment can change the way export demand is treated during production planning.

A mill that receives enquiries for atta, maida or semolina no longer needs to view the notified DGFT entry as prohibited. That can make it easier to assess export-oriented production alongside domestic sales.

Still, an export order may require different specifications from a domestic order. Buyers can ask for a particular flour grade, moisture level, packaging size, labelling format or private-label arrangement. Those requirements may come from the customer, contract or destination market rather than Notification No. 34/2026-27.

Manufacturers should therefore separate two questions:

• Can the product be exported under the DGFT policy?
• For the notified entry, the latest notification says “Free”.
• Is this particular shipment commercially and legally ready?

That requires a wider transaction-level review.

Keeping the two questions separate can prevent both over-caution and overconfidence.

Impact on MSME Wheat Flour Manufacturers and Exporters

The policy change may be particularly noticeable for MSMEs that were not able to build regular exports around a prohibited product category.

A small flour mill can now explore overseas business for products covered by the amended entry without the same DGFT policy barrier. The opportunity may include direct exports, supplying merchant exporters or working on buyer-specific flour and packaging requirements.

But smaller companies may also face practical challenges. Export paperwork, product classification, buyer communication, and destination-market requirements can require resources that a domestic-only business may not have in-house.

The notification itself does not provide MSMEs with a special exemption from other rules. It also does not promise financial support, preferential allocation, or easier documentation for small businesses.

The sensible approach is to treat the policy change as an opening to assess export readiness, not as a guarantee that every MSME flour mill should immediately enter foreign markets.

Does “Free” Export Policy Mean There Are No Other Export Requirements?

No. This is one of the most important points in the notification.

The DGFT amendment changes the status of the specified products from “Prohibited” to “Free”. It does not say that every other legal or procedural requirement connected with exporting goods has disappeared.

Foreign Trade Policy 2023 expressly recognises this distinction. Para 2.01 says that goods may be “Free” for import or export but can still be subject to conditions under other Acts or laws. 

For example, the FTP separately provides that an IEC is generally mandatory for undertaking export or import activities, unless an exemption applies. 

Exporters may therefore need to review, depending on the transaction:

• the correct ITC (HS) classification; 
• current DGFT policy; 
• Customs procedures; 
• documents required for the shipment; 
• product-specific rules, where applicable; 
• buyer specifications; 
• applicable destination-country requirements; and 
• certificates or other evidence required for a particular market or transaction. 

These should not be described as conditions created by Notification No. 34/2026-27. They arise, where applicable, from separate laws, procedures, contracts or importing-country rules.

What Should Exporters Check Before Shipping Wheat Flour from India?

A practical export-readiness review should begin with the product rather than the sales order.

First, confirm that the product genuinely falls within the amended description under HS Code 11010000. A wheat-based product outside this classification may have a different export-policy position.

Next, check the latest DGFT entry before shipment. The Foreign Trade Policy states that product-wise exportability is linked to the policy applicable to the relevant goods. 

Businesses should then review the rest of the transaction: IEC status where applicable, Customs requirements, commercial documents, buyer specifications, and destination-country conditions.

Food and agricultural exports can also face product- or country-specific requirements. These should be checked for the actual product and destination rather than copied from a generic “wheat flour export documents” list.

This is especially important in 2026 because the old quota-based authorisation system and the new “Free” policy are not the same thing. Procedures issued for an earlier limited authorisation window should not automatically be treated as the procedure governing the newly free policy.

Are Any Quotas, Fees or Special Conditions Mentioned in Notification No. 34/2026-27?

The August notification itself does not expressly prescribe a new export quota, minimum export price, special application fee, quantity ceiling, separate registration process, transitional procedure, or export-authorisation mechanism for the newly free entry. Its operative change is the move from “Prohibited” to “Free”. 

This is different from the position earlier in 2026.

Notification No. 55/2025-26 had retained the “Prohibited” status while permitting 5 LMT through export authorisation. Notification No. 61/2025-26 subsequently allowed an additional 5 LMT while again retaining the prohibited classification. 

The fact that Notification No. 34/2026-27 does not repeat those quantity limits is important. Still, businesses should verify the current DGFT position before shipment instead of assuming that silence in one notification removes every possible requirement under another applicable law.

Potential Benefits for Wheat Flour Exporters

The main benefit is flexibility. A “Prohibited” classification closes or heavily limits ordinary export planning. A “Free” classification allows a business to evaluate an export transaction on its commercial and regulatory merits.

That can make it easier for exporters to speak with overseas customers, mills to assess export production, and traders to respond to demand.

But it should be viewed as permission to explore the market, not a promise of market success.

Challenges and Practical Considerations

The first challenge is classification. The notification is tied to a particular ITC (HS) entry. Incorrectly treating another wheat product as HS 11010000 could lead to the wrong policy conclusion.

The second is destination-market compliance. An Indian DGFT classification answers only one part of an international transaction. The importing country may impose its own food, safety, labelling, documentation or other product requirements.

Commercial terms also matter. An export may be legally possible but unattractive after freight, insurance, packaging, financing and sourcing costs are considered.

Businesses should also remember that export policy can change. The regulatory history of wheat flour itself demonstrates this: the goods moved from a freer position to prohibition in 2022, were given quantity-based relaxations in early 2026, and have now moved to a “Free” status.

For that reason, an old screenshot, previous authorisation procedure, or past policy circular should not replace a current DGFT check.

What Business Opportunities May Open for Wheat Flour Exporters?

The change gives different parts of the wheat flour supply chain room to consider overseas business.

Existing manufacturers may review whether part of their production can serve export customers. This could be relevant for atta, maida, semolina and other products specifically covered by the notification.

Merchant exporters may be able to build supply arrangements with domestic flour mills instead of depending only on manufacturers that export directly.

Food-processing companies and private-label suppliers may explore buyer-specific products and packaging where there is genuine demand and where the product remains within the applicable export-policy and regulatory framework.

Export houses that already handle food products may also consider whether wheat flour fits their product portfolio.

DGFT guarantees none of these possibilities. The notification does not contain a forecast for exports, prices, revenue, or overseas demand. It simply changes the regulatory starting point from prohibited to free.

Is Removing the Wheat Flour Export Restriction a Right Decision or an Additional Challenge?

The notification clearly gives exporters more freedom, but the effect will not be identical for every business.

From an exporter's perspective, the new position is clearly easier to work with than a prohibited classification combined with limited quantity-based authorisations.

The main risk is misunderstanding the change. If businesses interpret “Free” to mean “nothing else needs to be checked,” errors can follow.

A more balanced view is that the notification removes an important DGFT policy restriction while leaving normal transaction-level due diligence intact. For businesses with genuine overseas demand, that can be commercially useful without making compliance irrelevant.

The notification itself does not state a detailed policy rationale for making the change, so broader economic or food-security motives should not be presented as confirmed reasons unless separately supported by the Government.

What Should Wheat Flour Exporters Do Next?

The first job should be to confirm the product's HS classification. After that, businesses should verify the latest DGFT policy and identify which other requirements actually apply to the planned shipment.

Exporters who operated under the earlier 2026 quota-authorisation route should also avoid assuming that the old procedure remains the basis for every future transaction. The underlying policy status has now changed.

Key Risks Wheat Flour Exporters Should Avoid

A few risks deserve particular attention after this amendment.

• Treating all wheat products as covered: Notification No. 34/2026-27 is specific to the notified wheat flour entry. It should not automatically be applied to wheat grain or unrelated processed wheat products.
• Reading “Free” as “no rules”: FTP 2023 expressly says free items can still be subject to conditions under other laws. 
• Using the old prohibited-policy position: Internal policy databases, SOPs and compliance sheets may still contain the previous status and should be reviewed.
• Carrying forward old quota procedures without checking: Early-2026 authorisation arrangements belonged to the earlier prohibited framework. Businesses should not automatically treat them as the procedure for exports under the new free classification.
• Ignoring buyer-country rules: India's export-policy classification does not determine what the destination country will accept.
• Using a generic document checklist: Documents and certificates depend on the product, destination, and transaction. A generic internet checklist can easily mix optional, buyer-specific, and legally mandatory requirements.

How Corpseed Can Help with Wheat Flour Export and DGFT Compliance

The move from “Prohibited” to “Free” makes the DGFT position easier to understand, but businesses can still face questions around classification, exporter readiness, and transaction-specific requirements.

Corpseed's DGFT export compliance services can support businesses at the stage where the notification needs to be translated into an actual export plan.

Relevant assistance may include:

• reviewing whether the proposed product falls within the amended ITC (HS) entry; 
• checking the applicable DGFT export-policy position; 
• supporting ITC (HS) classification review; 
• assisting with IEC and relevant DGFT compliance matters; 
• reviewing transaction-specific export requirements; 
• helping organise applicable export documentation; 
• identifying regulatory gaps before a shipment is planned; 
• supporting food-export compliance reviews where relevant to the product; 
• helping businesses distinguish Indian export-policy requirements from buyer or destination-country conditions; and 
• providing ongoing import-export regulatory advisory support. 

Professional support can be particularly useful where a business is entering wheat flour exports for the first time or moving from an earlier authorisation-based arrangement to the new free policy.

Businesses planning exports of atta, maida, semolina or other products covered under HS Code 11010000 can use Corpseed's DGFT export compliance services to review product classification, applicable regulatory requirements and export readiness before committing to a shipment.

Key Takeaways

DGFT Notification No. 34/2026-27 changes an important part of India's wheat flour export policy, but its effect should be read precisely.

• The notification is dated 24 August 2026. 
• It covers specified wheat flour and related products under HS Code 11010000. 
• The covered description includes wheat or meslin flour, atta, maida, semolina/Rava/Sirgi, wholemeal atta, and resultant atta. 
• The export-policy classification changes from Prohibited to Free. 
• The notification says the change applies with immediate effect. 

Earlier 2026 notifications had allowed limited quantities while retaining the prohibited status; the August change goes further by changing the underlying classification. 

“Free” does not mean every other export requirement disappears. FTP 2023 expressly recognises that free items can remain subject to other applicable laws. 

For exporters, the practical message is simple: the main DGFT prohibition has been removed for the notified entry, but correct product classification and transaction-specific compliance still matter.