Govt approves 750,000 tonnes wheat import as TCP invites bids

KARACHI:

The government on Wednesday formally approved the import of 750,000 metric tonnes of wheat, with the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) issuing an international tender for the purchase.

According to the TCP tender notification, the wheat will be imported with ±10% MOLSO on a cost and freight (CFR) basis in bulk through Karachi and/or Gwadar ports. The wheat must be from the latest crop of 2026.

The TCP said offers from global suppliers must be for a minimum of 50,000 metric tonnes, while bids for quantities below 50,000 tonnes with ±10% MOLSO will not be accepted.

According to the notification, the wheat must strictly conform to the standards and specifications prescribed in the tender document and Import Policy Order. The total quantity must reach the designated ports in Pakistan according to the shipment schedule specified in the tender terms and conditions.

Bids for the wheat import can be submitted until 11:30am on September 16, 2026, while the technical bids will be opened at noon on the same day in the TCP Board Room. Bidders or their authorised representatives may attend the opening physically or through Zoom.

The notification said the sealed bids must contain separate envelopes for the technical bid and financial bid and must be prepared according to the instructions given in the tender terms and conditions. The bids are to be submitted to the tender box at the TCP reception counter at the Finance & Trade Centre on Shahrahe-Faisal, Karachi.

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The tender document contains details regarding the method of procurement, bid security, bid validity, opening of bids, evaluation criteria, clarification or rejection of bids and performance guarantee, according to the notification.

The imported wheat will be distributed among provinces based on their demand and requirements, according to the TCP.

Of the total imported quantity, 300,000 tonnes will be allocated to Sindh, while 250,000 tonnes will be given to Punjab and 200,000 tonnes to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

At the national level, annual wheat consumption stands at around 31.3 million tonnes.

According to the Economic Survey 2025-26, wheat production stood at 29.61 million tonnes.

Experts said that by the first week of July, the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) had 1.783 million tonnes of wheat in its stocks.