The federal government has given the go-ahead to import up to one million tonnes of wheat. The decision aims to meet rising domestic demand and help control the prices of wheat and flour.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet will take a final decision next week. The committee will decide whether the wheat will be brought in by the public sector or by private importers. The matter is being handled under the guidance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The ECC has already approved an emergency import plan. A special steering committee has been set up to check the needs of each province and work out the details. The committee includes officials from the federal and provincial governments, the Ministry of National Food Security, the Finance Division, the Federal Board of Revenue, and the Trading Corporation of Pakistan.
Provincial governments have reported higher requirements. Punjab has asked for 800,000 tonnes, Sindh for 700,000 tonnes, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for 500,000 tonnes. Together, this comes to about two million tonnes. Earlier estimates put the total demand even higher.
Wheat and flour prices have been rising in many markets because of worries about available stocks. Sindh has already approved the import of 500,000 tonnes through the Trading Corporation of Pakistan after projecting a shortfall of around 1.69 million tonnes for the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The government hopes the imports will prevent any shortage, keep flour prices stable, and maintain enough strategic stocks. According to the US Department of Agriculture, Pakistan’s overall wheat import need for 2026-27 is expected to be around 1.4 million tonnes.