Pakistan : Wheat Price in Sindh Pushes Millers to Open Market
Flour millers in Sindh are skipping government wheat as the release price of Rs9,500 per 100kg becomes costlier after transport and labour. Cleaner open-market wheat costs the same with doorstep delivery. Citing quality issues and slow procedures, millers prefer private supply. The food department may cut rates to clear old stocks.
The wheat price in Sindh is causing flour millers to avoid government godowns this season. The food department fixed the release price at Rs9,500 per 100kg. However, millers say the price becomes even higher after transport and labor costs. They prefer buying from the open market, where cleaner wheat costs Rs9,400 to Rs9,500 with all expenses included.
Officials admit the millers’ concerns are valid. They say government stocks often come with quality issues, faulty weighbridges, and unnecessary deductions. Millers add that private suppliers offer doorstep delivery and better-quality grain. They also avoid the slow and complicated buying procedure at food department godowns. As a result, millers are bypassing official stocks entirely this year.
Because of this trend, the food department has asked the provincial cabinet to lower the official rate to Rs8,000–Rs8,500 per 100kg. The department needs to clear old stocks to make room for new procurement. It plans to buy up to 1.2 million tonnes of wheat this season. Officials warn that storage shortages and heavy mark-up on existing stocks are becoming serious issues.
Millers also question the quality of government wheat because no third-party validation has been done. They say open-market grain is cleaner, healthier, and available on credit. They argue that buying from the government requires advance payment and still offers no guarantee of quality. Some millers even say the government should stop intervening and let the private sector handle the wheat supply chain.
Meanwhile, wheat sowing for the 2025–26 season is already underway. The agriculture department reports that 43.6% of the sowing target has been achieved. The Sindh government is offering subsidies to small farmers to boost production. Officials believe these efforts will help stabilize the wheat price in Sindh once new stocks enter the market.
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Source : Daily Times
