Wheat import

We are never tired of saying Pakistan is an agricultural country, but ironically seldom are we self-sufficient in basic food items like wheat, sugar and lentils. This is an incredible situation, especially when it occurs oftener. Now the country is facing a wheat crisis – the staple food of the people – together with a sugar crisis. Since January this year wheat flour is being sold at Rs70 a kilogramme, about which shopkeepers and consumers say they have never seen the price of this basic commodity so high.

The cat came out of the bag early this year when the flour mills association increased the price of wheat flour to Rs70 a kg, following an apparent shortage of wheat in the country. In order to control the rising price of wheat because of the supply-demand gap, the government announced the import of a large quantity of the commodity. It has reportedly placed orders for the import of 330,000 tonnes of wheat. The imported wheat would cost the government Rs1,977 per 40kg. So the provinces will pay a subsidy of more than Rs500 per 40kg on the release of the imported wheat at the government rate. The Trading Corporation of Pakistan is to import 700,000 tonnes of wheat for Punjab and 300,000 tonnes for K-P. Sindh has shown no interest in the imported wheat. Punjab and K-P will release wheat at the official rate, which is Rs1,475 per 40kg in both the provinces. The difference of more than Rs500 will be borne by the provincial governments in the form of subsidy.  

Let us see of which quality is the imported wheat, because in the very recent past we have seen substandard quality of wheat flour being supplied to consumers. Also, it is unclear whether the price of wheat flour will come down after the imported wheat arrives in the market. We expect percussive concussion, concussive percussion and endless discussion on the issue in the media.