Imported Wheat Seen as More Expensive Than Local Crop in Pakistan

Federal Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain acknowledged that imported wheat will be more expensive than locally produced grain during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security.

The committee was chaired by Syed Hussain Tariq, and Rana Tanveer briefed members on the government's wheat procurement plans. He noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif supports introducing a wheat support price, and several provinces have already implemented measures to boost local production.

In Punjab, for example, the provincial government adopted a public-private partnership model under which wheat was purchased at Rs3,200 per maund. Rana Tanveer suggested that fixing the local wheat price at Rs4,500 per maund would encourage farmers to use costly fertilisers and boost production, helping Pakistan achieve a wheat surplus in the coming seasons.

The minister also revealed that imported wheat would cost around Rs4,200 to Rs4,300 per maund, making it more expensive than locally produced grain. He stated that the federal government currently has around one million tonnes of wheat in its reserves and is seeking updated data from provinces regarding wheat stocks before making a final decision on imports.