The federal government will maintain strategic wheat reserves of up to 6 million tonnes to ensure uninterrupted supplies and prevent shortages across Pakistan, Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Monday.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Hussain said the country had sufficient wheat stocks to meet national demand this year. He added that the government was prepared to address potential market disruptions and ensure the availability of the staple food.
Govt Sets Wheat Price at Rs. 4,500 per 40kg
The minister’s announcement came days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set the indicative wheat price for 2027 at Rs. 4,500 per 40kg, an increase of Rs. 1,000 from the previous year’s price.
Hussain said the government had finalized the indicative price after consultations with all provincial governments. He added that the decision would help stabilize the domestic wheat market, protect farmers’ interests and create opportunities for wheat exports next year.
The minister said imported wheat would also cost approximately Rs. 4,500 per 40kg, making domestic procurement a more suitable option. He reiterated that the government would prioritize local farmers instead of relying unnecessarily on imports.
Govt Releases Wheat Stocks to Provinces
Hussain disclosed that more than 1.3 million tonnes of wheat had been supplied to provincial governments from the stocks of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco).
He said the government could also arrange imports of up to 550,000 tonnes of wheat, depending on provincial requirements and market demand.
Expressing concern over recent fluctuations in wheat prices, Hussain described the prevailing increase as artificial and blamed certain market elements for manipulating prices.
He said sufficient wheat stocks were available across the country and expressed confidence that prices would return to normal within the next few days. The government was closely monitoring market developments and would take necessary measures to prevent artificial shortages, speculative practices and unjustified price increases.
Govt Announces Wider Agricultural Reforms
Hussain said the federal government was also pursuing measures to strengthen agricultural productivity, improve market regulation and ensure the availability of essential food commodities.
He added that policies covering seeds, olives and biotechnology had been formulated to modernize Pakistan’s agricultural sector, improve crop productivity and encourage innovation. The minister said access to quality seeds, modern agricultural technologies and stronger regulatory mechanisms was essential to increasing productivity and reducing farmers’ production costs.
Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar welcomed the government’s decision to set the indicative wheat price at Rs. 4,500 per 40kg. He expressed satisfaction with the consultation process and said farmers needed a predictable and reasonable price for their produce.
Last month, the association had demanded a support price of Rs. 5,000 per 40kg, warning that farmers might avoid sowing wheat in the next season if the government delayed announcing its crop policies.
The association had also said farmers were struggling to afford balanced fertilizer use because they were unable to recover their production costs.
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