Pakistan : Govt Approves Import of 1 Million Tonnes of Wheat
Pakistan’s ECC is expected to decide next week whether wheat imports of up to 1 million tonnes will be handled publicly or privately. Provincial requirements exceed 2 million tonnes, led by Punjab, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, amid rising wheat and flour prices and supply concerns.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet is expected to take a final decision next week on whether the wheat will be imported through the public sector or whether private-sector importers will be allowed to bring in the commodity.
He said the matter would be decided under the direction of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, with the government weighing the most suitable mechanism for ensuring adequate wheat supplies.
The ECC had already approved an emergency mechanism for importing up to 1 million tonnes of wheat and constituted a steering committee to assess provincial requirements and work out the operational framework. The committee includes representatives from the federal and provincial governments, the Ministry of National Food Security, Finance Division, FBR and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP).
Provinces Seek More Than 2 Million Tonnes
The decision comes as provincial governments have reported wheat requirements exceeding the quantity approved for import.
According to Rana Tanveer, Punjab has indicated a requirement of 800,000 tonnes, Sindh 700,000 tonnes and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 500,000 tonnes, taking the combined demand to 2 million tonnes.
Earlier reports put provincial demand at more than 2.2 million tonnes, with wheat and flour prices coming under significant pressure amid concerns over available stocks.
The government is therefore expected to determine how the imported wheat will be allocated among the provinces and whether additional imports will be considered if the supply situation deteriorates.
Wheat Prices Under Pressure
The emergency import plan follows a sharp increase in wheat prices and concerns over domestic availability. Reports have indicated that flour prices have risen substantially in several markets, prompting the federal and provincial governments to seek measures to stabilise supplies.
Sindh has separately approved the import of 500,000 tonnes of wheat through the TCP after officials projected a shortfall of around 1.69 million tonnes between the province’s estimated wheat availability and consumption for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The latest move is aimed at preventing a supply crunch, stabilising flour prices and maintaining sufficient strategic stocks during the current fiscal year.
Pakistan’s 2026/27 wheat import requirement had previously been forecast at around 1.4 million tonnes, according to the US Department of Agriculture’s latest Pakistan grain outlook.
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Source : Bloom Pakistan
