India has halted the export of lentils and allowed private companies to import wheat and sugar to offset a steep rise in food prices, the finance minister said Thursday.
"Wheat, sugar and (lentils) are driving price hike," Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram told reporters after a cabinet meeting in New Delhi.
"These three articles are showing a rising trend; therefore, the decision has been taken to augment the supply side. We are confident, that with these decisions, inflationary expectations will be dampened," Chidambaram said.
