KARACHI: Pakistan plans to import one million tons of wheat to meet domestic demand and stabilize the local market, Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Friday, as shortages and rising flour prices strain supplies in parts of the country.
The decision has been taken amid reports of wheat shortages, particularly in Sindh, along with sharp increases in flour prices in some markets
Pakistan’s Federal Committee on Agriculture had set a wheat production target of 29.68 million tons for the 2025-26 Rabi season. However, the country’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) estimated output at 27.48 million tons in May, citing lower cultivated areas and yields than initially projected.
“The government will immediately import one million tons of wheat to meet the provinces’ requirements,” Hussain said in a statement issued by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
“Importing one million tons of wheat will meet domestic needs and help maintain stability in the market,” he added.
The minister said wheat held by the state-run Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) would also be released immediately to meet provincial requirements, adding that the federal government remained committed to ensuring the availability of affordable and quality wheat.
Pakistan, one of the world’s largest wheat producers, periodically imports the staple grain to supplement domestic supplies and help stabilize prices when production falls short of consumption or market supplies tighten.
Some estimates suggest the country’s annual wheat consumption at around 31 million tons.
