Pakistan Imports Up to 1 Million Tonnes of Wheat Amid Shortage Fears
The government of Pakistan has reaffirmed its decision to import up to 1 million metric tonnes of wheat to strengthen supplies and prevent shortages and price pressures. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar chaired a meeting on Thursday to review the country's wheat stock position and directed the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) to immediately release wheat to provinces according to allocations approved by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and the steering committee.
The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has been instructed to begin the import process without delay. According to official accounts, 750,000 tonnes will be imported in the first phase, with deliveries scheduled for November. Dar stressed that federal and provincial institutions must maintain close coordination to ensure adequate availability, contain hoarding, and provide relief to consumers.
The decision comes amid warnings of a potential wheat shortfall of around 3 million tonnes, with farmers' representatives raising concerns over declining incentives to grow the staple crop. Pakistan's official Economic Survey puts 2025-26 wheat production at 29.61 million tonnes, up from 28.40 million tonnes a year earlier.