Punjab Wheat Shortage Worsens as 4.5 Million Tons Go Missing

A massive discrepancy in wheat stocks has emerged in Pakistan's Punjab province, where officials reported that 4.5 million tons of wheat are unaccounted for. The issue came to light during a high-level government meeting when Punjab officials asked other provinces if they had received any shipments of the missing wheat.

However, the provinces denied receiving such quantities, leading officials to suspect large-scale hoarding may have taken place. This shortage has sparked concerns that Pakistan's wheat import bill could rise to $1 billion if domestic supplies remain insufficient.

The Punjab government had fixed the wheat support price at Rs. 3,500 per 40kg, but private buyers showed little interest in purchasing the crop under these conditions. To encourage procurement, the province offered incentives to private buyers, but they sought access to bank financing to fund wheat purchases.