Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said on Monday that the government will maintain strategic wheat reserves in Pakistan of up to six million tonnes, and that there will be no shortage this year because arrangements are already in place to meet national needs.
Speaking at a press conference in Islamabad, he said the buffer would help ensure uninterrupted supplies and protect the country against potential market disruptions. The remarks came days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set an indicative wheat price of Rs4,500 per maund for 2027, Rs1,000 above last year’s level.
Support price and farmer preference
Hussain said the Rs4,500-per-40kg indicative support price was fixed after consultations with all provincial governments. He argued that the higher support price would help keep the domestic wheat market stable and could allow Pakistan to export wheat next year, while also protecting farmers’ interests.
Imported wheat would also cost about Rs4,500 per maund, he said, so buying from Pakistani growers was the better option. The government would prioritise local farmers rather than lean unnecessarily on imports.
Stocks, provinces and market prices
More than 1.3 million metric tonnes of wheat have already been released to the provinces from stocks held by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco), the state body that stores and moves grain. Arrangements could also be made to import up to 550,000 metric tonnes if provinces need it, he added.
Hussain said he was concerned about recent wheat price swings and described the current rise as artificial and driven by certain market players. He maintained that stocks were sufficient and that prices should return to normal within a few days. The government, he said, was watching the market and would act against artificial shortages, speculation and unjustified increases.
Reforms and farmer reaction
Under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, Hussain said, the federal government was working to raise farm productivity, tighten market rules and keep essential foods available. He also pointed to policies on seeds, olives and biotechnology aimed at modernising agriculture, cutting production costs and encouraging innovation.
Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar welcomed the Rs4,500-per-40kg indicative price and the consultation process. Last month the same body had sought Rs5,000 per 40kg and warned that delayed crop policy could discourage sowing, saying farmers were struggling to afford balanced fertiliser use when they could not recover costs.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Last month: Pakistan Kissan Ittehad demanded a Rs5,000-per-40kg wheat support price and warned of sowing risks if crop policy was delayed.
- Days before Monday’s briefing: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced an indicative wheat price of Rs4,500 per maund for 2027, up Rs1,000 from last year.
- Monday: Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain said wheat reserves Pakistan would hold up to six million tonnes, Passco had sent over 1.3 million tonnes to provinces, and the recent price rise was artificial.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Hukumat ne kaha hai ke gandum ka zakhira 6 million ton tak rakha jayega taake supply na ruke. Wazir ke mutabiq is saal gandum ki kami nahi hogi. Kisan ko 2027 ke liye 40 kilo par Rs4,500 milne ka ishara diya gaya hai. Wazir ne kaha ke abhi jo qeemat barhi hai woh artificial hai aur kuch dinon mein theek hone ki umeed hai.
