Previous Year Question
Consider the following statements:
India is a member of the International Grains Council.
A country needs to be a member of the International Grains Council for exporting or importing rice and wheat.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Only 1
Only 2
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
Correct Answer: A
Detailed Solution
Statement 1 is correct. India is a member of the International Grains Council. India appears in the current official membership list published by the IGC.
The IGC is a London-based intergovernmental organisation. Its present institutional foundation is the Grains Trade Convention, 1995. It seeks to promote international cooperation, information sharing and market transparency in the global grains economy.
Its principal functions include:
Analysing global production, consumption, stocks and trade;
Facilitating consultations among member governments;
Monitoring market prices and freight rates;
Providing information on food security and global trade policy;
Preparing objective and independent market forecasts.
The IGC’s work is not confined to wheat. It analyses 22 commodity markets, including wheat, maize, barley, rice, other coarse grains, oilseeds and pulses.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Membership of the IGC is not a legal precondition for exporting or importing wheat or rice. The IGC is not a licensing authority or customs union that prohibits grain trade by non-member countries.
International trade in wheat and rice may take place according to:
Domestic trade policies of exporting and importing countries;
Bilateral or regional trade agreements;
WTO rules;
Sanitary and phytosanitary standards;
Import duties, export restrictions and customs regulations;
Commercial contracts between buyers and sellers.
Thus, a non-member country can also export or import wheat and rice.
Current status (2026)
India remains listed as an IGC member on the organisation’s official website as of September 2026. The IGC continues to provide governments and market participants with data, analysis and forecasts relating to grains, rice, oilseeds and pulses. Membership promotes cooperation and market transparency; it is not a mandatory condition for international grain trade.