A day after allowing exports of two million tonnes of wheat, the government today said they were not in hurry to allow wheat exports further.

Despite having a stock of 82.3 million tonnes of food grains against the storage capacity of 64 million tonnes, food minister K.V. Thomas said, "We are not in a hurry to exports."

Replying to a question that whether the government will allow wheat exports further, Thomas told this to media on the sidelines of a FICCI conference in the national capital today.

The minister said, "We are looking at the international situation because the prices in the international market are farming up better and better so we will look at the situation."

"This has been brought before the cabinet yesterday and just approved that," he said. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) Tuesday approved export of two million tonnes of wheat at a base price of USD 228 per tonne.

"But day to day affairs would be managed by the committee, head by the commerce secretary. This committee will examine and take a decision at the appropriate time. They are not going to export entire 2 million tonnes at a one stretch," Thomas said, when asked that will they allow wheat exports further.

According to media sources, the export of two million tonnes of wheat would cost the government around Rs.1,263 crore in form of subsidies.

The government godowns are full and there is little space to store the grain procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

This year the government is looking at a record 82 million tonnes of rice and wheat against a storage capacity of only 64 million tonnes.

In September last year, the government had allowed wheat exports through private trade.

Thomas also cleared the government's priorities, he said, "Our idea is to get a better price. And the same time the large chunk of the food grains, which have produced in the country should go to people of this country."