Pakistan Stalls on Wheat Imports Amid Cost Concerns

Islamabad has not yet decided whether it will handle imports of one million tons of wheat, or if provinces should take on this task themselves. Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain told a National Assembly panel that the Centre only wants to grant approval, with the provinces being responsible for carrying out the imports. The likely cost of imports is estimated at Rs4,200-4,300 per maund.

Hussain argued that setting a reasonable wheat support price would help offset rising fertiliser costs on farmers. He warned that a support price of Rs4,500 per maund could drive the crop into surplus territory. However, some committee members pushed back against this idea, pointing out that the government often spends billions on imports while ignoring local growers.

The federal government still holds one million tons of wheat in stock after releasing supplies to Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. A summary seeking approval for these imports has already been sent to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), with a steering committee formed to oversee the import process.