Wheat flour (atta, maida, sooji)

What it is

Roller flour mills split wheat into maida, sooji, atta and bran; chakkis grind whole-wheat atta. Bakeries, biscuit, noodle and namkeen makers are the bulk buyers.

Chakki attaMaida (by ash and gluten %)Sooji / ravaFortified atta (FSSAI +F)

Where India produces it

1. Uttar Pradesh

   2023-24: 35.34 million tonnes (31.19% of India). Figure is wheat; flour mills cluster in wheat states and big cities

2. Madhya Pradesh

   2023-24: 22.58 million tonnes (19.93% of India). Figure is wheat

3. Punjab

   2023-24: 17.74 million tonnes (15.66% of India). Figure is wheat

Where imports come from

Self-sufficient; flour imports were only US$ 1.90 million in 2024-25 (HS 1101).

Rules before you buy or sell

• FSSAI licence or registration is needed to process, pack, store or sell it as food (Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006).
• Retail packs must carry Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 declarations.
• Under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 the Centre can set stock limits for traders and processors; check current orders.
• Import and export are governed by the ITC(HS) policy; check the current DGFT notification before you sign a contract, because policy for farm goods changes often.

Storage and handling

Atta keeps 1-3 months; store cool and dry, first-in first-out.

Businesses that use it

Bakery (Bread / Biscuit / Cookies) →Rusk Making Unit →Cream Wafer Biscuits →Noodles Making Unit →Instant Noodles Making →Vermicelli (Seviyan) Unit →Namkeen / Bhujia Unit →Maida Snack Pellets (Fry-and-Eat Fryums) →Cake Making Unit →Multigrain Pasta Unit →