Consider the following statements : 1. India is a member of the Int

Consider the following statements :

  • 1. India is a member of the International Grains Council.
  • 2. 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 ?

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2024
The correct option is A.
Statement 1 is correct. India is a member country of the International Grains Council (IGC), an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote international co-operation in grain trade and collects market information.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Membership in the International Grains Council is not a mandatory requirement for a country to export or import rice and wheat. Countries engage in international trade of these commodities based on bilateral agreements, WTO regulations, and other trade arrangements, irrespective of IGC membership.
The IGC was established in 1949 as the International Wheat Council and was renamed in 1998 to include coarse grains and rice. Its mission includes furthering international co-operation in grains trade and encouraging expansion of trade.