Islamabad, The Federal Ministry of Food Security and Research has confirmed that Pakistan is currently equipped with significant wheat reserves, ensuring the nation’s food security well into the next harvest season. In a recent update, the ministry disclosed that both federal and provincial food departments have reported combined wheat stocks of 6.934 million tons.

According to Press Information Department, the current wheat reserves are distributed across several departments with PASSCO holding 1.78 million tons, Punjab with 4.021 million tons, Sindh at 0.817 million tons, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 0.227 million tons, and Balochistan with 0.089 million tons. These stockpiles are deemed more than sufficient to meet the country’s essential requirements until the onset of the new crop harvest in May 2024.

The ministry’s statement also highlighted that the private sector has embarked on wheat procurement, inspired by confidence in the federal government’s policies and support measures. To date, over 700,000 tons of wheat have been locally procured, and projections estimate that an additional 1.2 million tons will be collected.

The government has pledged its full support to private entities to maintain a consistent wheat supply chain. This proactive engagement has already had a positive impact on the supply and price dynamics of wheat in the country. Notably, the price of wheat has shown a decrease from 4,800 Pakistani Rupees per maund to a range of 4,300-4,400 Pakistani Rupees per maund within the last month, with further reductions anticipated. These developments are expected to ease the financial strain on consumers and enhance their purchasing power.