Govt to maintain wheat reserves of up to 6m tonnes to ensure uninterrupted supply: minister

Dawn · 26/10/2026، 3:55:47 PM

ISLAMABAD: Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain on Monday announced that the government would maintain strategic wheat reserves of up to six million tonnes, asserting there would be no shortage of wheat in Pakistan this year as adequate arrangements were in place to meet the national requirements. “This will help ensure uninterrupted supplies and protect the country against potential market disruptions,” the minister said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. His remarks came days after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced the indicative price of Rs4,500 per maund of wheat for 2027, raising the price by Rs1,000 from last year. Hussain noted that the government had fixed the indicative wheat support price at Rs4,500 per 40kg following extensive consultations with all provincial governments. “The enhanced support price will not only maintain stability in the domestic wheat market but also enable the country to export wheat next year.” The decision on the new indicative price reflected the approach aimed at safeguarding farmers’ interests, he contended. The minister explained that imported wheat would also cost approximately Rs4,500 per maund, making domestic procurement a more suitable option. He reiterated that the government would prioritise Pakistani farmers rather than rely unnecessarily on imported wheat. Providing details of wheat supplies, the minister disclosed that more than 1.3 million metric tonnes of wheat had been provided to the provinces from stocks of the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco). He further stated that arrangements could be made to import up to 550,000 metric tonnes of wheat in accordance with provincial requirements and demand. Expressing concern over recent fluctuations in wheat prices , Hussain described the prevailing price hike as artificial and manipulated by certain market elements. He maintained that sufficient wheat stocks were available in the country and expressed confidence that